John 1

[JLG]

John is sent as a man of God announcing the coming of Jesus who is going to be rejected by the Jews but he is going to be accepted by many people. Priests were sent to John to ask him if he was the Christ but he clearly tells them he is not but he is preparing the way for him. The next day Jesus comes to him and john speaks about the spirit above Jesus like a dove and he gives witness that Jesus is the Lamb of God. Then Two disciples of John start to follow Jesus (Andrew and Simon or Peter). New disciples are joining Jesus: Philip, Nathanael.

 

[JLG]

John 2
Here we are told about a marriage feast and Jesus and his disciples are invited. And Mary tells Jesus that there is no more wine. Then Jesus turns water not only into wine but good wine. It is the first miracle of Jesus. Then Jesus goes to Jerusalem for the Passover and there are animals in the temple and merchants selling them for sacrifices. They do business inside the temple. It reminds us of the practices of the Israelites in the Old Testament, how they adapt God’s Law to a nonsense. Once again we see the difference between God’s will and man’s will, they are often opposite, it is written everywhere but men do it as it pleases themselves and they don’t understand why it’s wrong but it is written: man is a strange species, he has a brain but looking at history it seems he hasn’t. And Jesus is angry against all who are doing business in the temple and he wants everybody to go outside the temple. And the Jews ask Jesus to give them signs and Jesus tells them that if they destroy God’s temple he will raise it in three days but they don’t understand because he speaks about his death and his resurrection. His disciples will remember his word at his death. And many put faith in him because of all his miracles.

 

[JLG]

John 3

Nicodemus is a Pharisee and a ruler of the Jews. And at night he goes to Jesus telling everybody knows he has come from God. And Jesus tells him it is necessary to be born again to see God’s kingdom. Nicodemus asks him how it is possible. So Jesus tells him it is necessary to be born from water and spirit. Thus it is necessary to develop a different personality, far away from the personality that the Israelites show in the Bible through the Old and New Testaments and far away from the personality many human beings show. That’s why we have both the old and the New Testaments. Everywhere we see the old personality and we need to develop the new personality, it is something we need to build again and again, something we need to get closer and closer. He wonders how he can be a teacher of Israel and not know that. A LOT TO THINK ABOUT! And Jesus says he has come from heaven and he will be lifted up so people may have everlasting life. And God gave his only-begotten Son for those who exercise faith may have everlasting life. And people must choose between Light and darkness. Then Jesus and his disciples go into the Judean countryside and Jesus baptizes. And john the Baptist tells his disciples that he is decreasing whereas Jesus is increasing.

 

[JLG]

John 4

When Jesus realizes that the Pharisees hear that he makes and baptizes more disciples than John, he leaves Judea to go to Galilee. But he must go to Samaria and there he stops at a well because he is tired. And a woman comes to draw water. He asks her for water but she is surprised because Jews don’t deal with Samaritans. Jesus answers her that if she had known who he was, she would have given him water and he would have giving her living water. But she doesn’t understand so he tells her that with Jesus’ water she would never get thirsty again. Then he tells her to tell her husband to come. She tells him that she has no husband. And Jesus tells her that she is not married with the man she lives with. Then she understands that Jesus is a prophet. And Jesus keeps telling her that the day is coming when people won’t go to this mountain or in Jerusalem to worship God, when the true worshippers will will worship God with spirit and truth. Then he tells her that he is the Messiah the one called Christ. Then the disciples come to Jesus and the woman goes to the city and speaks about Jesus so people come to see him. Then Jesus tells the disciples that harvesttime has come. So many Samaritans put faith in Jesus and they ask him to stay with them ans he stays for two days. So many more Samaritans start to believe in Jesus. And he returns to Cana of Galilee where he had turned water into wine and there a royal official has a son who is sick and is going to die and he asks Jesus to come and cure him. But Jesus tells him that his son is already cured. So the man and his household become believers.

 

[JLG]

John 5

During a festival of the Jews, Jesus goes to Jerusalem and meets a man with withered limbs for 38 years but he has nobody to put him into the pool. So Jesus cures him and he starts walking. It is during the Sabbath and the Jews argue with him about the fact he carries his mat as Jesus told him. In the temple the man cured by Jesus and Jesus meet again and he shows Jesus to the Jews who asked him before. And the Jews persecute Jesus because he cures men during the Sabbath so they are against Jesus because he threatens their power, they don’t care if he is God’s Son and has the truth, they just think of their own interests, they don’t care about people. We need to be careful about such people. They also want to kill him because he always calls himself God’s Son making himself equal to God. He answers them that whatever the father does, the Son does, they work together to the same goal. And Jesus receives his authority from God. And Jesus speaks about a resurrection of life and another of judgment. And Jesus says he does his God’s will.

 

[JLG]

John 6

Jesus goes to a mountain and a great crowd follows him with of his miracles. The Passover approaches. There is a large crowd of 5,000 people and nothing to eat so Jesus multiply bread and fish so everybody can eat. And more food is left. And people wants to make him king so he goes to the mountain. And the disciples take a boat at night to cross the sea but Jesus is not with them and the sea is rough. And Jesus walks on the sea and comes on board and the sea calms down. And the people cross the sea to find Jesus. But he tells them that they come to him because he fed them not because of the signs he performed. And Jesus tells them to put faith in him because he is the bread of life. He says he has come to make his Father’s will. And he speaks about everlasting life and resurrection on the last day. And the Jews begin to murmur against him because he says he came down from heaven. He says that people who eat his flesh and drink his blood will have everlasting life. And he tells his disciples that some of them don’t believe him and some leave him. And he asks the twelve if they also want to leave but Simon Peter answers they have no other places to go because he has sayings of everlasting life. Then he tells them that one of them is a slanderer.

 

[p_rehbein]

You know that there are many "John"s in Scripture. This particular John is usually identified as John the Baptist.

just saying

Your Threads remind me of the Readers Digest approach to works of Literature

 

[JLG]

It's always interesting to know what people think. If you read properly what I write you will may notice that it's for people who know at least a minimum the Bible, especially the New testament if not the Old one. As you may have noticed I am not writing about one Gospel but about the four at the same time. Who doesn't know John the Baptizer? Moreover, I mention John the Baptizer in Mark 1, Matthew 3 and Mark 6. My intention is to make people think about the four Gospels at the same time and visualize the whole and try to get some volume and get the atmosphere and see the continuity between the Old and the New Testaments and perceive examples of faithfulness and the opposite. I am not cooking or giving any recipe. I have spoken of Job and Daniel and Samuel and the good and bad kings of Judah and Israel. I am just here to make people think and be active and not sleep. There are enough people to speak about theories, I am more interested in FAITHFULNESS! I don't think the readers digest do that!

 

[JLG]

John 7

Jesus goes to the festival and the Jews look for him. And many people speak about Jesus as a good and bad man. But they are afraid of the Jews. And Jesus goes to the temple and teaches. And the Jews are astonished because Jesus has such a knowledge and he didn’t go to school. So Jesus tells them that his teaching is from God; And they keep accusing him because he cures people during the Sabbath. And some people try to get hold of him but the time has not come. And many people put faith in him because of all the signs he performs.

 

[JLG]

John 8

Jesus says he is the light of the world and he tells the Pharisees that they are ignorant and they judge people according to the flesh at the difference of Jesus. And he adds that God his father bears witness about him. He tells them the time is coming when they will look for him but he won’t be there. And he tells them he comes from the heaven. They will understand who he is after his death and his resurrection. Many put faith in him. And he tells the Pharisees that their father is the devil and they act like him. But he tells the truth like his father. And he speaks about people listening to him and getting everlasting life. And the Jews want to throw him stones but he leaves the temple.

 

[JLG]

John 9

Jesus cures a blind man explaining his disciples that this man didn’t do anything to be so but for God’s works to be made manifest. He tells them he is the world’s light when he is alive. And the people who knew the blind man can(t believe it is him being able to see. But he tells them how Jesus has cured him. And they bring the man to the Pharisees because it is the Sabbath and they say that Jesus is not a man of God because he doesn’t observe the Sabbath. But others say the contrary. So they ask the man who was cured and he says that Jesus is a prophet. But the Jews don’t believe the man so they ask his parents who testify. So they ask again the man who repeats the same. But they refuse to believe what he says saying he is one of Jesus’ disciples. But the man says it is a nonsense because Jesus cures him and it is a fact. And he was blind from birth. And Jesus condemns the Pharisees.

 

[JLG]

John 10

Jesus speaks about the shepherd and how his sheep recognize his voice and how they follow him because they know his voice but they don’t do the same with a stranger. But his disciples don’t understand what he tells them. So he tells them he is the shepherd. And he speaks about two classes of people but they will become one flock and he will give his life for all. And some Jews start saying that Jesus has a demon. Then Jesus goes to the temple and the Jews ask him if he is really the Christ and he tells them he is but they don’t want to believe despite all his works. And they want to stone him and they call him blaspheme because he says he is God’s Son. And they try to seize him but he escapes and he goes by the Jordan where John was baptizing first.

 

[JLG]

John 11

Mary and Martha sends a message to Jesus because their brother Lazarus is sick. And Jesus knows he is going to die but he will resurrect him. So Jesus waits two days before going to meet them. Knowing Lazarus has died he tells his disciples that he falls asleep. But they don’t understand. So Lazarus has been in the tomb for four days and Jesus goes to his tomb and resurrect him and many Jews put faith in Jesus but some go the Pharisees to tell them what Jesus has done. So the chief priests and the Pharisees gather the Sanhedrin together to find a solution and they fear that everybody will put faith in Jesus. And Caiaphas who is the high priest for this year prophesies about Jesus’ death. And they conspire to kill him. But Jesus goes away from Jerusalem. And the Passover approaches and the chief priests and the Pharisees give orders to seize Jesus whenever possible.

 

[JLG]

John 12

Six days before the Passover Jesus eats with Lazarus whom he raised up from the dead. Martha serves the meal and Mary put expensive perfumed oil on Jesus’ feet and dry them with her hair. But Judas Iscariot says the perfume could have been sold for a lot of money and given to the poor. In fact, he says that because he steals in the money box. And Jesus says she does well because of his next burial. Many Jews come to see him and Lazarus who was raised up from the dead. The chief priests want to kill Lazarus because many Jews put faith in Jesus because of Lazarus. The next day many Jews receive Jesus with branches of palm trees and calling him the King of Israel when he comes to Jerusalem. Jesus’ disciples only understand what happens to him which was written about him in the bible after his death and resurrection. Some Greeks want to see Jesus but he says the time has come for him to be glorified. Then a voice out of heaven glorifies Jesus and the people who are present hear thunder. And he says he must be lifted up from the earth.

 

[JLG]

John 13

Jesus knows that time is coming for him to leave this world and go back to the Father and the Devil has already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot to betray him. It is time for the evening meal of the Passover so Jesus starts to wash the feet of his disciples and dry them off. And the disciples still don’t understand why he does it but they will understand after his death. But Peter doesn’t want Jesus to do it. But Jesus tells him there is no other way otherwise peter will have no share with him. And as usual peter is extreme and asks Jesus to also wash his hands and head. Through all the time spent by Jesus with his disciples we can think about his extreme patience towards them and they could see his miracles and his teaching and his attitude and they kept behaving as if they weren’t taught by him. It also reminds us about God’s patience towards the Israelites except they never understood and they lost god’s approval whereas Jesus’ disciples understood after Jesus’ death and they finally changed of attitude. What can we say about human beings and their attitude? Jesus washes their feet as an example for them to remember after his death so they could do the same to others. Then he says that one of his disciples is going to betray him. Then Jesus indicates Judas Iscariot. But his disciples don’t understand except Judas Iscariot. Then he tells his disciples to love one another and that he is going to die and that Peter is going to disown him three times.

 

[JLG]

John 14

Jesus tells his disciples that he is going to die and prepare a place for his disciples and he also tells them to keep faith. Thomas doesn’t know where Jesus goes and Jesus tells them that in spite of the time they have spent with Jesus they still don’t know them. And he is in union with his Father and they are going to do greater works than him because he has to die now to go back to his Father. And they will receive Holy spirit to help them. Those who love Jesus will observe his commandments. If he goes away they will see him again. And he calls the Devil the ruler of the world. So the history of the Israelites is a continuity. They had a special relationship with God but they behave like strangers and people who had nothing in common. When Jesus was on earth they kept the same relationship and even the disciples even if they used to live by Jesus. It was necessary for him to die so they started to understand his message. What about us? Are we like the Israelites or are we different? We need to strive to get closer to God and to develop a special relationship and not be strangers to him. Do we pay attention? We need not only words but acts!

 

[JLG]

John 15

God is the cultivator, Jesus is the vine and his disciples are the branches bearing fruit. The branches which don’t bear fruit are burned. And his disciples must love each other. And they don’t belong to the world so it hates them. And they will be persecuted. And the Jews saw what Jesus did and many don’t believe in him so they are guilty. And his disciples are going to bear witness about him. Apparently it seems to be difficult to understand these words for many. How is it possible to follow Jesus and not understand these words? Probably because people prefer to do according to their will but when Jesus comes he will do the same!

 

[JLG]

John 16

Jesus warns his disciples when he tells them they will be expelled from the synagogues and killed by people thinking they serve God whereas it will be because of ignorance. And they will receive help in their service for God. He says he can’t tell them everything now because they can’t bear it. He tells them he is going to die and be raised up. But they don’t understand. And he tells them they will flee and go back to their houses. Of course, it was difficult to the disciples to understand Jesus’ death because they were used to having him all the time. They couldn’t think of being let alone without him as leader.

 

[JLG]

John 17

The time has come for Jesus to be glorified by God as he has finished his work on earth. He has taught men everything about God and the time has come for him to go back to his Father. And he asks God to watch over all his disciples.

 

[JLG]

John 18

Judas comes to Jesus to betray him. And Peter cuts the ear of the slave of the high priest. The soldiers take Jesus and bring him to Annas who is the father-in-law of the high priest. And Peter disowns Jesus. Jesus doesn’t answer the chief priest so one of the officers gives him a slap in the face. Then the chief priest sends him to the high priest then to Pilate. But he doesn’t find Jesus guilty. So he proposes to free Jesus but the Jews ask for Barabbas.