February 7, 2011 by Tom Brunson
Now that we have read through the Gospels, some interesting questions come up. I was recently asked, "What is the difference between ‘faith' and ‘believe' as they are used in the Gospels?" This came up because the Gospel of John never uses the word "faith" but states in 20:31, "but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name."...
Categories: John |
February 5, 2011 by Tom Brunson
In John 18 Jesus tells Pilate, "My kingdom is not of this world (lit. ‘from here'). If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm."
Some will use this verse to claim that Jesus meant his Kingdom was really a "spiritual kingdom." However, that is not what other Scriptures define, for the Kingdom was to be a literal kingdom in Israel, with Jesus ruling Judah and Israel - a real, geo-political kingdom...
Categories: John |
February 4, 2011 by Tom Brunson
We often hear the Mosaic Law described as a way that Israel (as a nation) could live in a way pleasing to God. Some then extrapolate and say that if it was how they should live, then it is also the rule for our lives. Then, however, they have to hedge and say the sacrifices required are not for us, the required festivals aren't for us, and eventually they try to redefine the Law as simply the Decalogue or Ten Commandments. Paul, however, notes both that the Law is a whole that can't be divided, and that Gentiles have never been under the Mosaic Law, and still are not when they are in the Church...
Categories: John |
February 3, 2011 by Tom Brunson
John tells us the story of Lazarus, and we should read it closely.
It is common in Christian circles to say that we should see the death of a Believer as a time for rejoicing. True, the person is with the Lord, and not destined for punishment, but should death ever be a time to rejoice? How does God see death? Jesus said "He who has seen Me has seen the Father" - so in Jesus' response to death we see God's response.
Jesus could have gone to Bethany in time to prevent Lazarus' death. Yet He intentionally waited two days until Lazarus had died before starting...
Categories: John |
February 1, 2011 by Tom Brunson
John tells us the story of Jesus meeting the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well near Samaria. It has been common for commentators to read the conclusion back into the introductory details of this story, to claim that this woman was obviously shunned as a woman of ill repute. However, those interpretations overlook some important points that say otherwise.
One point is the time of day that this took place. The text says it was the 6th hour. In Jewish reckoning the day begins at 6:00, so the 6th hour would be noon. So some say that the women of the city would have drawn their morning's water much earlier, and this woman was...
Categories: John |
January 30, 2011 by Tom Brunson
According to Church tradition and internal evidence, the Gospel of John was written much later in the Apostolic age than the other three Gospels. John was the last apostle to die, and wrote this around 90 AD, after the deaths of Peter and Paul in the 60s, and the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. The tradition says he wrote it from Ephesus.
Tradition also says he wrote this Gospel for the Church. However, he states a very evangelical purpose for it: 20:31 says, "but these have been written so that you may believe that...
Categories: John |
