Thesis Statement
In John's gospel the account, of the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus shows that this was not just another false messianic movements.
Introduction
John allows his reader to go to class with Jesus and Nicodemus, as they get an opportunity to hear as this encounter unfolds. We have one of the most profound teachable moment in biblical history. In this encounter Jesus get an opportunity to open the mind of the man call Nicodemus who was known to be a teacher of Israel.
In the writing of this gospel, the reader has an opportunity to come to know the prominent Nicodemus. The history of this man is given in the first verse of chapter three. John gives more detail about this spiritual encounter with a non-spiritual
man, who is call " Man of the Pharisees," a member of the Sanhedrin. One that perfectly represents the aristocratic, well-intentioned but unenlightened Judaism of his day. We come to know them to be "that venerable body of chief priests, elders and scribes which governed Israel." As we reader about Nicodemus one can only imagine that, a man of this caliber took his duties seriously, and any movement or teaching within the nation would cause great interest especially if wide influence was given. Furthermore, he may have visited the Jordan country as one of the delegation from Jerusalem there to inspect the work of the Baptist.
Gerhard Lohfink, in his book, “Jesus of Nazareth” believes that Jesus’ person and ministry are intertwined, or actually one and of the same. After Lohfink clarifies the difference between the "reign of God" as distinct from the “Kingdom of God,” he asserts that in Jesus, there is this active, ongoing reign which is not only revealed, but is manifested in all He says and does. Lohfink states, that Jesus is “not just preaching about the reign of God, but He is announcing it,” going on to indicating that Jesus is manifesting this reign in His own self disclosure and the actions of His ministry. Jesus ways of teaching and interactions with others, is shown as compassionate, gentle, direct and personal, as well as definitive and bold. As we also find in Ch. 3, “All that is happening before everyone’s eyes. The reign of God is breaking forth in the midst of the world and not only within people.” (51) And for Lohfink, this is taking place in the actual preaching, actions and life of Jesus Christ. Simply, we are personally and collectively and actively a part of establishing this “reign” right here, right now. A “reign” of mercy, compassion, forgiveness, self-giving, sacrificial love, as well as of justice and peace.
...itten in, and can also be seen because there is no mention anywhere of the parables, Jesus' primary teaching method according to the synoptic gospels. Instead, John makes use of miracles and uses examples from Jesus' ministry to demonstrate his power and divinity. He uses his power over nature to raise people from the dead, heal a blind man and feed 5000 people with the physical amount of food for only a few.
This fragment is taken from THE NEW TESTAMENT (King James version). More importantly, the fragment appears in THE GOSPAL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW, which is the first gospel out of four. While there is no speaking character in the fragment, it is possible to witness several characters in it. First, there are the wise men who came to visit and see baby Jesus. Second, when they entered the house, they saw Jesus with “Mary, his mother.” In this fragment, one can notice the significance of the wise men (Magi). Seeing that, the wise men function as evidence to display Jesus’s godliness and his relation to God, by seeing him they “fell down, and worshiped him.” Due to God’s intervention in the wise men’s dreams, they have changed their actions, understanding
Similar to the Gospel of John the Epistles of John catalogues a variety of themes on discipleship. However, four main qualities of discipleship are highlighted in his letters, these are witness, obedience, chosen, and indwelling. These four qualities are announced in the first four verses of 1 John 1 by the apostle explaining how disciples of Christ are witnesses to the glory of Christ through their experiences of sight, sound, and touch (1John 1:1). While being able to experience the greatness of Christ is important to the reality of disciples, John exclaims that experience is not enough and one must publicly “testify to it” (1John1:2) and “proclaim to [the world] the eternal life that was with the Father and was made visible to us” (1John1:2). Witnessing to the faith is an important quality also presented in 3
The trial of Socrates in Athens is both similar and different from the trial of Jesus of Nazareth. The trials could be compared in three main areas: the evidence and reasons provided for their executions, their last messages to their accusers, and the two leaders’ thoughts about their impending deaths. For both figures, there is no evidence to support their convictions and they are convicted for similar reasons, though Jesus is given less time to defend himself. Both Jesus and Socrates warn their accusers that they will suffer for their actions. However, Jesus views his accusers as ignorant and Socrates views his as vengeful. Both men conclude that it is G-d’s will for them to die. However, Socrates is more secure about death than Jesus. Despite the differences that exist between the two trials, Socrates and Jesus face similar predicaments and deal with death in comparable ways.
"Genisis, Matthew, and John." Holy Bible: NIrV, New International Reader's Version. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Pub. House, 1998. N. pag. Web.
The above will necessarily govern a contemporary reading of this gospel but it will also indicate in what way we can be pulled into the "war of myths" of which Myers speaks. The purpose of the gospel as a result of this and other readings is then discussed not so much to set this purpose in concrete but to indicate that each gospel is a living breathing thing that each reader puts their own life into and thereby draws on the life of Jesus.
Our passage comes at the end of John’s gospel and contains the breathing of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples and Thomas’s famous moment of doubt. We can consider the “about-ness” of the text to include both the narration of the resurrected Christ breathing the Holy Spirit on the disciples and the struggle that Thomas had to believe that Jesus was raised from the dead. This focus is
“To stand up for what you believe in is more important than to be scared of imprisonment or death.” – Socrates The Apology
James S. Jeffers wrote The Greco-Roman World of the New Testament Era. Jeffers intent in writing this book was to give the readers in insight into what early Christianity looked like. The book aligns what readers may have learned in their high school history class with what was written in the Bible. In summary, this book gave information about Greek and Roman life and history into early Christianity.
The book consists of three parts. The first part has five chapters of which focuses on explaining what the key questions are and why we find them difficult to answer. The second part has nine chapters explaining in detail what N.T. Wright considers Jesus’ public career and the approach he had in first century Palestine. The third part of the book, the last chapter, challenges readers to wrestle with the questions of Jesus’ life and ministry.
...eady wrote letters to these churches, but now God want’s him to share the gospel with him. Keep in mind, this is a period that people are starting to rebel against God, so the fact John is being asked to do this should raise many concerns. It was not uncommon for people to be stoned, executed, or sent to jail for sharing the good news with people in this time period. It takes a lot of nerve to follow through with a task like this while maintaining faithful witness, but John is most definitely the man qualified with this task. As a leader through tough times, John is a great model to the people of the earth to hold fast to God’s love. It is people like John that I most admire in our society today. 1 Thessalonians 3:8, “For now we really live, if you stand firm in the Lord” (NASB). The most influential people in my life have been those that have stood fast in the Lord.
John was one of the first twelve disciples of Jesus and therefore an eye-witness (John 19:35); John brings out the spiritual significance as well as recording the practical aspects of Jesus' works and words. John lived to be older than any of the other writers. It is therefore likely that he was familiar with their accounts and wanted to supplement theirs with additional teaching and miracles by Jesus which had a bearing on the situation towards the end of the first century AD.
What are parables of Jesus Christ? The word parable in general may mean the placing of two or more artifacts together to make a comparison or explain an ideology. This same concept could be related to the parables of Jesus Christ the son of God. Some people may choose to define these in various meanings depending on their own understanding. However, in my opinion, a parable is basically an analogy consisting of human circumstances that is accompanied with a spiritual or biblical lesson. Altogether, there are thirty-two parables; which could be found in the books of Mathew, Mark and Luke. Out of all these parables, eighteen of them are found in Luke and ten in Mathew. The eighteen parables found in Luke include, the Lost Coin, the Lost Son, the Unrighteous Steward, the Rich Man and Lazarus, the Unprofitable Servants, the Unrighteous Judge, the Pharisee and Publican, the Pounds, the Two Debtors, the Good Samaritan, the Friend at Midnight, the Rich Fool, the Watchful Servants, the Barren Fig Tree, the Chief Seats, the Great Supper, the Rash Builder, and the Rash King. The ten in Mathew include, the Laborers in the Vineyard, the Two Sons, the Marriage of the King's Son, the Ten Virgins, the Talents, the Tares, the Hidden Treasure, the Pearl of Great Price, the Draw Net, and the Unmerciful Servant. Again, the parables of Jesus Christ could be compared to a class of students with a teacher in the front. Basically Jesus Christ was the teacher and the whole world would be considered as the students. Out of all the parables of Jesus Christ, the main ones I will be talking about will be the parable of the good samaritan, and the parable of the sower.
Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man; for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews and many of the Gentiles. He was [the] Christ. And when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him; for he appeared to them alive again the third day; as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him. And the tribes of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day (Whiston, n.d., 18-64-3).