Fish and bread (no, the bread is nothing at all like Jesus' bread, which was fresh and wholemeal

In this podcast I’ll introduce the idea of the ending of John as a sphragis, and very briefly mention what that might mean for reading John’s gospel, but most of the time will be spent on the much less technical question of why I am convinced that Jesus rose from death and met with the disciples – because after all this passage is about the resurrection, and not about the technical details (however fascinating to biblical scholars

So, here’s the link to the audio: E100-69: John 20:1 – 21:25: The Resurrection

Photo by firstbaptistnashville

This chapter gives what it tells us is an eyewitness account of a Roman execution. Jesus, who has done no real wrong, except offend the religious leaders, and worry the politicians is subjested to the casual brutality of an imperial production-line death. Such a death, of an innocent man, is shocking. But Jesus was not merely a man, this was also the death of God, so as Jesus points out to the Roman govenor, Pilate, “You would have no power over me unless it had been given you” John 19:11 such a death overturns all expectations, gods are powerful, vengeful, gods are kindly and helpful… gods do not die so that humans may live!

So, here’s the link to the audio:
E100-68: John 19:1 – 19:42: The Crucifixion

CHRIST – DEATH
The fourth vertical window on the north side depicts the death of Christ. It is a dramatic, powerful, eerie and gruesome composition recording the most momentous event in history. Dark grays in the upper portion represent the actual darkness that invaded the cross where Christ died. The streams of red tell of the great suffering and sacrifice of our Savior. The gold around the cross and throughout the window symbolizes the presence of God in the death of Christ.

Judas betrays Jesus by vaticanus

In this chapter, we get the climax of John’s series of sayings where Jesus echoes the divine “I am” cf. Exodus 3 (E100-17: Exodus 3-4: Getting the holy between your toes!), and we also notice how amid powerful people who seem muddled and out of control, Jesus (the one who seems to be the victim) is the only person in control of himself! And we’ll discover his secret.

We’ll also notice the three betrayals, and ask how we can avoid joining they betrayers.

So, here’s the link to the audio:

E100-67: John 18:1 – 40: Jesus secret and three betrayals

Photo by Glen's Pics

Gospels are not biographies, nor are they just collections of sayings, they focus on Jesus’ death and resurrection. Without either event can’t understand Jesus or the gospel. But we also to see and understand that Jesus is God incarnate and that Jesus is risen else his dearth and the disciples turnaround between end of gospels and Acts  makes no sense.

This week’s readings bring to fruition the message we heard time and again in the Old Tedstament, that the only true God is Yahweh, the one who will be with and for us, this God is Yeshua (in English – Jesus) “he saves”.

So, here’s the link to the audio:
E100: Week 14: Death and resurrection

Raising Lazarus (Pintura románica de San Baudelio de Berlnga en el Cloisters Museum de Nueva York, procedente de España. From Wikimedia)

What’s a little miracle among friends? Yet Jesus seems to avoid performing one that would have saved his friends great pain, only to perform a greater one! And then there’s the ominous clouds gathering that by the end of the chapter foretell the storm to follow.

Noticing some detail of how John tells this great sign we will learn more about reading Bible stories, and about trusting/believing in Jesus…

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Here's there come rain or shine, with his little tin coffee cup held in the one hand and in the other his blind man's cane. He nods and gives a little closed-eye smile when you drop coins in his cup, as I did after taking this shot. (Photo and caption by soylentgreen23, altered)

Notice the opening – beginnings are often important – and in this case that importance is highlighted when the theme is repeated, that’s another clue – we repeat things that matter!

The man born blind is a great character, do enjoy listening to him “naively” running rings round the clever religious scholars So, it’s all about spotting who Jesus is, and the evidence is what he does – handsome is as handsome does! Or better about spotting what God is doing and the appropriate response is worship and trust.

“Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

“Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him.”

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This is perhaps the chapter of the Bible that more people have partly heard than any other. We have also heard things that aren’t there: like the animals around the manger who don’t get a mention in Luke’s account – perhaps because their presence in houses as well as “stables” they were taken for granted.

Most people have a favourite part of this chapter. My childhood favourite is left out of the set reading, but I’ll talk about why other bits have stuck in my mind more recently. Although I will not actually talk about Jesus’ birth, for this chapter above all others in the Bible, I will notice things about Mary and another quietly significant woman character.

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CHRIST – BIRTH
The third vertical window on the north side represents the birth of Christ. The chief feature of this window is the exploding star at the top with its streams of light flowing downward. The lower part shows a horizontal streak of lavender suggesting the separation of heaven from earth. The heavenly light of the star may be seen in the bottom section of the window which depicts the actual birth scene. The purple typifies His royalty and the red anticipates His cross.
Photo by FirstBaptistNashville

As a child I loved those old hymns that talked about God as a mystery:

Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
in light inaccessible hid from our eyes…

Even if at first I had to ask what some of the words meant actually understanding the words doesn’t end the mystery…

John one has the same effect except the words are easy – it’s how they are used that’s magic

This brain twisting poetry is also chock full of solid Christian doctrine.

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What is a “Gospel”? Not a collection of sayings, because they tell more stories, but not a biography, they almost miss out most of Jesus’ life! We’ll get an idea what Gospels really are by looking at how each Gospel concludes (Matt 28:17-20; Mark 16:15-20; Luke 24:51-53; John 20:30-31). Then, the four gospels begin so differently! They are different so we get four different “takes” on Jesus, a full rounded view, not one person’s biases.

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The pericope in John 7:53-8:11 is a fascinating test case in the interaction of text criticism and canon. Both the history of canon, and textual criticism seem dull and unexciting. Yet here they combine into a detective story or a theological conundrum that contributes to making the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy conflict with most Christian preachers’ practice! In this post I won’t address the detective story. But I will discuss this passage as a hint that we need a supple and flexible view of Scripture to deal “properly” with this passage.

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Note 2. For the detective story approach see e.g. A. Watson, “Jesus and the Adulteress” in Biblica 80 (1999): 100-108 [_RETURN]