Today we have John’s take on the early ministry of Jesus
The wedding in Cana
John 2:1-11
Jesus in Capernaum
John 2:12
Jesus in the temple
John 2:13-22
Jesus’ knowledge of human nature
John 2:23-25
Jesus and Nicodemus
John 3:1-21
Jesus and John
John 3:22-24
The imprisonment of John
Luke 3:19-20
Jesus leaves Judea
Matthew 4:12, John 4:1-3
Jesus and the woman at the well
John 4:4-26
As Jesus went public, it didn’t take long for him to attract the attention of the Jewish leaders. They used to keep an eye on new rabbis, to check that they were not leading people astray. So they question Jesus about his authority for making a demonstration in the Temple and Nicodemus visits him quietly for an in depth interview.
But there is something strange about this new rabbi. He doesn’t use complicated language, but he talks about God in such a different way that even the experts can’t understand him. He has a freedom that ordinary people don’t have. He goes places and does things that break the taboos that hold everyone else back. Demonstrating in the Temple is like shouting in a cathedral - you just don’t do it. Talking to a Samaritan wasn’t done either. And Jesus seems to choose inappropriate subjects for conversation. He discusses childbirth with an elderly rabbi, and theology and worship with a five times married Samaritan woman.
But you can feel the attraction - he charms this woman into believing him, and Nicodemus, despite his inability to understand Jesus, is entranced by him.
Underneath all this, there are rumblings of tension. John the Baptist is arrested by Herod, and Jesus has to withdraw from Judea and go back north to Capernaum, to stay out of trouble. Israel is a tinder keg, and even Jesus decides to tread carefully.
The wedding in Cana
John 2:1-11
Jesus in Capernaum
John 2:12
Jesus in the temple
John 2:13-22
Jesus’ knowledge of human nature
John 2:23-25
Jesus and Nicodemus
John 3:1-21
Jesus and John
John 3:22-24
The imprisonment of John
Luke 3:19-20
Jesus leaves Judea
Matthew 4:12, John 4:1-3
Jesus and the woman at the well
John 4:4-26
As Jesus went public, it didn’t take long for him to attract the attention of the Jewish leaders. They used to keep an eye on new rabbis, to check that they were not leading people astray. So they question Jesus about his authority for making a demonstration in the Temple and Nicodemus visits him quietly for an in depth interview.
But there is something strange about this new rabbi. He doesn’t use complicated language, but he talks about God in such a different way that even the experts can’t understand him. He has a freedom that ordinary people don’t have. He goes places and does things that break the taboos that hold everyone else back. Demonstrating in the Temple is like shouting in a cathedral - you just don’t do it. Talking to a Samaritan wasn’t done either. And Jesus seems to choose inappropriate subjects for conversation. He discusses childbirth with an elderly rabbi, and theology and worship with a five times married Samaritan woman.
But you can feel the attraction - he charms this woman into believing him, and Nicodemus, despite his inability to understand Jesus, is entranced by him.
Underneath all this, there are rumblings of tension. John the Baptist is arrested by Herod, and Jesus has to withdraw from Judea and go back north to Capernaum, to stay out of trouble. Israel is a tinder keg, and even Jesus decides to tread carefully.
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