Here’s how the study works: Read the chapter mentioned in the heading several times during the week and share any words, thoughts, verses that stood out to you. Having a week for a chapter creates the opportunity to reread it several times and make additional comments as you feel inclined as well as make comments on other people’s insights.
by the time i got done reading the chapter, i have realized there is more in here than i can comment on before work. i will have to be back later. unless of course i can simply copy and paste he whole chapter? no? okay, i’ll be back…
by the time i got done reading the chapter, i have realized there is more in here than i can comment on before work. i will have to be back later. unless of course i can simply copy and paste he whole chapter? no? okay, i’ll be back…
See you soon, Jon
v.39-41 The Jews didn’t bother making the distinction between those things which God initiated and those things which God allowed. They saw God as being responsible for everything which is true if you believe in the Sovereignty of God. Therefore if a person does not wish to believe in Him the consequence they have chosen is to be blinded. (God’s principle is you reap what you sow.) Here this is attributed to God because He is, after all, in charge of everything.
Likewise we say God sends non-believers to hell yet in actual fact God doesn’t send them, it is the choice they have made.
See you soon, Jon
v.39-41 The Jews didn’t bother making the distinction between those things which God initiated and those things which God allowed. They saw God as being responsible for everything which is true if you believe in the Sovereignty of God. Therefore if a person does not wish to believe in Him the consequence they have chosen is to be blinded. (God’s principle is you reap what you sow.) Here this is attributed to God because He is, after all, in charge of everything.
Likewise we say God sends non-believers to hell yet in actual fact God doesn’t send them, it is the choice they have made.
I agree with that Susan … life without God is a choice.
Their choice was to have the approval of men over the approval of God. But even then Jesus cried out to our Father to forgive them for they didn’t know what they had done.
I had not noticed the very special friendship between Mary, Martha and Lazarus with Jesus before now. It was noted in the last chapter and is here again. Their place was a place he liked to visit. There seems to be great love and appreciation between them. The perfume was an extravagant gift … we are always extravagant toward those we love deeply.
Poor Lazarus … he dies and Jesus raises him to life again only to be met with the clergy who want to kill him again. LOLOL
I’ll leave off here and wait for Jon … 🙂
I agree with that Susan … life without God is a choice.
Their choice was to have the approval of men over the approval of God. But even then Jesus cried out to our Father to forgive them for they didn’t know what they had done.
I had not noticed the very special friendship between Mary, Martha and Lazarus with Jesus before now. It was noted in the last chapter and is here again. Their place was a place he liked to visit. There seems to be great love and appreciation between them. The perfume was an extravagant gift … we are always extravagant toward those we love deeply.
Poor Lazarus … he dies and Jesus raises him to life again only to be met with the clergy who want to kill him again. LOLOL
I’ll leave off here and wait for Jon … 🙂
Yes I also think it is very funny about them wanting to kill Lazarus – those Jews just didn’t get it!
Yes I also think it is very funny about them wanting to kill Lazarus – those Jews just didn’t get it!
The Message has an interesting take on some of these verses.
v.40 “First they wouldn’t believe, then they couldn’t …”
They sowed unbelief and reaped spiritual blindness.
v.47-48 “If anyone hears what I am saying and doesn’t take it seriously, I don’t reject him … But you need to know that whoever puts me off, refusing to take in what I’m saying, is willfully choosing rejection.”
The Message has an interesting take on some of these verses.
v.40 “First they wouldn’t believe, then they couldn’t …”
They sowed unbelief and reaped spiritual blindness.
v.47-48 “If anyone hears what I am saying and doesn’t take it seriously, I don’t reject him … But you need to know that whoever puts me off, refusing to take in what I’m saying, is willfully choosing rejection.”
I feel like something is missing between vs 22 and 23. The Greek Jews wanted to see Jesus … Philip and Andrew tell Jesus.
In the following verses is Jesus talking to the Greeks or to Philip and Andrew?
vs 37 But though He had performed so many signs before them, yet they were not believing in Him.
The cross reference for vs 38 is Romans 10
At vs 20
And Isaiah is very bold and says,
“I WAS FOUND BY THOSE WHO DID NOT SEEK ME,I BECAME MANIFEST TO THOSE WHO DID NOT ASK FOR ME.”
But as for Israel He says, “ALL THE DAY LONG I HAVE STRETCHED OUT MY HANDS TO A DISOBEDIENT AND OBSTINATE PEOPLE.”
To know the God of the universe … the most powerful being you know is there right in front of you and to not believe.
HARD TO BELIEVE 😉
I feel like something is missing between vs 22 and 23. The Greek Jews wanted to see Jesus … Philip and Andrew tell Jesus.
In the following verses is Jesus talking to the Greeks or to Philip and Andrew?
vs 37 But though He had performed so many signs before them, yet they were not believing in Him.
The cross reference for vs 38 is Romans 10
At vs 20
And Isaiah is very bold and says,
“I WAS FOUND BY THOSE WHO DID NOT SEEK ME,I BECAME MANIFEST TO THOSE WHO DID NOT ASK FOR ME.”
But as for Israel He says, “ALL THE DAY LONG I HAVE STRETCHED OUT MY HANDS TO A DISOBEDIENT AND OBSTINATE PEOPLE.”
To know the God of the universe … the most powerful being you know is there right in front of you and to not believe.
HARD TO BELIEVE 😉
sorry i’m late, i brought some cupcakes to soften the blow!
anyway, one of the things i enjoy about john’s gospel are the little asides that he makes sometimes. little bits of personal commentary for clarification. there are 2 in this chapter in my opinion. the 1st being v.6, the 2nd v.16. its just interesting to me, that’s all.
interesting that once the pharisees had determined in their hearts to murder jesus they didn’t think twice about adding another (lazarus) to that list. was this a habitual thing for them? did they just eliminate anyone who didn’t fit in for them?
i also like their “emergency board meeting” in v.19
i really enjoy jesus’ analogies of “light” and “darkness.”v.35-36,46
and how he asserts that to believe in him goes deeper than him. it truly goes to the One who did the sending.v.44-45,48-50
a passage i have always struggled with… the thought that god is actively blinding the minds of some so that they will not turn and be healed?
and finally, v.42-43. i have seen this in action myself. how many hold things in their heart that they fear to share in truth for fear of being ousted from their groups?
sorry i’m late, i brought some cupcakes to soften the blow!
anyway, one of the things i enjoy about john’s gospel are the little asides that he makes sometimes. little bits of personal commentary for clarification. there are 2 in this chapter in my opinion. the 1st being v.6, the 2nd v.16. its just interesting to me, that’s all.
interesting that once the pharisees had determined in their hearts to murder jesus they didn’t think twice about adding another (lazarus) to that list. was this a habitual thing for them? did they just eliminate anyone who didn’t fit in for them?
i also like their “emergency board meeting” in v.19
i really enjoy jesus’ analogies of “light” and “darkness.”v.35-36,46
and how he asserts that to believe in him goes deeper than him. it truly goes to the One who did the sending.v.44-45,48-50
a passage i have always struggled with… the thought that god is actively blinding the minds of some so that they will not turn and be healed?
and finally, v.42-43. i have seen this in action myself. how many hold things in their heart that they fear to share in truth for fear of being ousted from their groups?
Yes I too like John’s little asides. His is the only gospel that tells us Judas is a thief which is interesting to know.
Once the Pharisees had justified killing Jesus is was easy to add another to the list. It is the nature of sin once we have justified an area of sin it is easy to keep on adding more sins of the same nature to the list.
As I said, I don’t believe God is actively blinding the mind of some. They are simply reaping what they sowed.
Looking at v.42-43 from the other perspective. If you are “put out” because of your faith it shows you love the glory of God more than the glory of man, which is a good thing.
Val, I also wonder about the Greeks. We are not told what Jesus actually said to them. These remarks from v.23 onwards seem to be addressed to the disciples and the Greeks seem to have been forgotten. I think Jesus is saying that the Greeks asking to see him is an indication that the time has come for his message to spread to those beyond Israel and for that to happen He has to die.
Yes I too like John’s little asides. His is the only gospel that tells us Judas is a thief which is interesting to know.
Once the Pharisees had justified killing Jesus is was easy to add another to the list. It is the nature of sin once we have justified an area of sin it is easy to keep on adding more sins of the same nature to the list.
As I said, I don’t believe God is actively blinding the mind of some. They are simply reaping what they sowed.
Looking at v.42-43 from the other perspective. If you are “put out” because of your faith it shows you love the glory of God more than the glory of man, which is a good thing.
Val, I also wonder about the Greeks. We are not told what Jesus actually said to them. These remarks from v.23 onwards seem to be addressed to the disciples and the Greeks seem to have been forgotten. I think Jesus is saying that the Greeks asking to see him is an indication that the time has come for his message to spread to those beyond Israel and for that to happen He has to die.
v.25 Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
(From Constable Commentary) “Anyone who selfishly lives for himself or herself loses his or her life in the sense that he or she wastes it. Nothing really good comes from it. Conversely anyone who hates his or her life in the sense of disregarding one's own desires to pursue the welfare of another will gain something for that sacrifice. He or she will gain true life for self and blessing for the other person.”
v.25 Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
(From Constable Commentary) “Anyone who selfishly lives for himself or herself loses his or her life in the sense that he or she wastes it. Nothing really good comes from it. Conversely anyone who hates his or her life in the sense of disregarding one's own desires to pursue the welfare of another will gain something for that sacrifice. He or she will gain true life for self and blessing for the other person.”
v.27 “Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour.
Jesus knew what lay ahead for him: bearing the world’s sin, a separation from God, a painful death.
v.27 “Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour.
Jesus knew what lay ahead for him: bearing the world’s sin, a separation from God, a painful death.
v.37 Even after Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him…v.42 Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him.
There was a significant divide in people’s opinions about Jesus.
v.37 Even after Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him…v.42 Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him.
There was a significant divide in people’s opinions about Jesus.