The House You're Building

        Orient  John 9:1-41 John 9 turns us once again to the reoccurring task of the author, to convince the reader to believe in Jesus.  In the broader section, we see who Jesus is by another public miracle, the blind man healed of his sight.  Conflict with the Jews is again present (notice the repeated argument about the legality of healing on the Sabbath) and teaching his disciples is also included in this section.  As in previous miracles, there are responses to the miracle itself by different groups—the Jews, the man, and his parents.  In the opening, Jesus refers to Himself as “light,” a common metaphor that John introduced in the prelude and Jesus referenced previously at the Feast of Booths. The metaphor of blindness/sight is meant to point us to the spiritual realities of seeing our condition before God and need for the Savior Christ.     Introduction  When my daughter was younger, she played ...

    Orient  John 8:31-59 This passage introduces an argument thread between Jesus and those that “believed in Him” from the first teaching segment of chapter 7.  Eventually, the listeners show themselves to be counterfeit as they pick up stones to kill him.  As we learned last time, many commentators believe He is still teaching publicly at the Feast of Booths.  This week’s passage contains many contrasts, and as typical of his dialog with the religious leaders, misunderstandings of spiritual truths taken literally; look for themes about slavery and genealogy.  Jesus continues to connect Himself with the Father’s approval and plans and uses Abraham to persuade the Jewish leaders of His authority.     Introduction Whenever a new baby is born, it’s natural to analyze their physical characteristics to see if they look more like their mother or father.  The resemblance can change with an expression or adapt as t...

        Orient  John 8:12-30 If you’ve been following us each installment of the John series, you might wonder if I missed posting the first 11 verses of chapter 8.  The missing passage, commonly known as the woman caught in adulty, is not found in the earliest manuscripts and thus won’t be included in my walk-through John.  Though it does not contradict Scripture, in my view this section of scripture isn’t considered sacred text according to the process of textual criticism that makes me trust the Bible.  That sets the stage for the setting of the passage we are considering.  If the story of the woman was added later, it is likely assumed that Jesus is still teaching at the Festival of Booths.  What follows is a conflict story with the Pharisees, as they question Jesus.  As you read, themes from chapter 5 will be familiar: witness and judgment.     Introduction Every morning when I get u...