We are currently in John and have looked at many of the differences in this book compared to the synoptics. Discuss the following and comment on one other persons post.
What do you think John clarified for the early Christians as their communities developed? Do you feel as if they expected an immediate return of Jesus, his second coming? Did they feel as if he was with them already?
Some memorable John events are the following:
Wedding Feast at Cana
Healing of the Royal Official's Son
Healing of the Paralytic at the Sheep Gate Pool
Feeding of the 5000
Walking on Water
Healing of a Blind Man
Raising of Lazarus
14 comments:
Ayy
yes that god is still here with us yea i think they new that god was with them the whole time
John didn't spend as much time with the history of Jesus and the world, but more with how everyone should live their lives in the present. In addition, John often mentioned the afterlife, and accepting Jesus as the Savior. I don't believe that they thought he would come back right away, that Jesus and or God was always a part of them, regardless of whether Jesus was alive physically. Jesus always taught the power of prayer and accepting God--things that have nothing to do with physicality or human life. I'm gonna write more when I get home, bell's bout to ring ;)
Consider in chapter 21:
"Follow Me" seems to be a recurrent theme for the fishermen; remember Mark starts with this concept. After Jesus' baptism the scene shifts to the sea and now John ends with it....have we come full circle? What is the point here?
Also,
How does Peter die? Is there something indicating this in this chapter?
Peter died by crusifixion but he didn't believe he was worthy enough to be crusified like Jesus was so he asked to be crusified upside down.
So, Aaron, what has this to do with John 21?
Okay, so when Jesus asked Peter to follow Him, I took it to mean that Peter would follow him into heaven, or (Peter will be dying soon). Peter then asks, "What about John?" and Jesus states that he will remain until He comes again. As far as the series of questions aimed at Peter about whether or not he loved Jesus, I'm still not sure what Jesus' responses mean. Maybe the "feed my lambs," "tend my sheep," and "feed my sheep" have some significance within the order they're given. For instance, lambs are young sheep. Maybe that refers to those who are young, or even ignorant. "Feeding" them might mean giving knowledge, or making them aware of God. Then He goes on to say, "sheep." Sheep might mean older, or that the previous "lambs" are more educated at this stage. The verb then changes to "tend." So, maybe once that knowledge is instated, He might have intended for "tend" to mean to maintain this knowledge (by accepting Jesus, praying, etc).
Aaron, I think that's what the whole "Follow Me" thing meant. Peter is going to die. And like you said, he dies by upside down crucifixion.
i don't think they actually thought Jesus's second coming would be anytime soon. I do believe they felt him around them.
hi
MEGAN MASON:
Fougerousse, i agree with you. they werent sure what to think. and when he eventually did come back, they were amazed. its not that they didnt beleive him, its just that it happened so soon. they must have thought that something like this would have to take a little longer than it did. no doubt they were happy about it. i mean who wouldnt be happy about Jesus coming back.
MEGAN MASON:
John was born to give the people warning of what was to come. that jesus was on his way and that he was the savoir of your life. he was the one who would save you from a place called hell and take you to a place call heaven with him. he was told he was to baptize jesus when the time came and that he was the one to prepare the poepole for the coming of Christ.
the beleivers did not expect jesus to return immediatly. we know this because of what happened after he did return. the only people who beleived were the ones who had seen him and the poeple who were only told of his resurection didnt beleive until they had seen for themselves.
they did feel as if he was with them already in the "holy ghost" form. so that was another reason why it was so hard for some to beleive he was actually back in human form again.
im trying to make this work
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