Early Judean Ministry Flashcards
The Five Stories of Jesus’ Early Judean Ministry
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1) Water into wine
- Wedding feast inaugurates a new age
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2) Clearing the temple
- Probably did it twice
- John describes the first one
- Synoptics describe the second one
- Jesus is a new temple
- Probably did it twice
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3) Story of Nicodemus
- The importance of a new birth
- “Born again” - Born twice, or born from above
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4) Samaritan women
- A new universal outreach of the Gospel - John 4
- She came to Jesus at noon
- Nicodemus at night in contrast
- Jesus teaches her about two things
- Living Water
- True Worship
- Jesus tells her that He’s the messiah
- She tells others
- People get saved
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5) Jesus heals a nobleman’s son from a distance
- To show Jesus is the giver of a new life
- Pattern of three
- Three times the boy is said to be sick or almost dying
- Three times it says he is living
- Three times the verb “to believe” is used
- The boy is healed AND the man and his family are saved
Why does the professor believe that 2:1-4:54 is to be interpreted as a single unit?
The unit begins and ends in Cana of Galilee
The first event, Jesus turning water into wine is noted as the “beginning of his signs.” Healing the nobleman’s son at the end of this section is described as Jesus’ second sign. These are the only two signs that John numbers.
Why do I think that John uses the story of the turning of the water into wine at Cana to teach that Jesus is inaugurating the messianic age?
The rabbinic literature stipulated that stone jars could be used as permanent vessels for purification
The fact that they have run out of wine and have only the water for ritual purification indicates the bankruptcy of Judaism in contrast to the abundant supply of the messianic age.
How does John connect Nicodemus to those in Jerusalem that Jesus did not entrust himself to (2:23-25)?
This connection is obvious from the wording in 2.25b, “for he himself knew what was in man” and in 3.1, “ Now there was a man of the Pharisees…”
Compare and contrast Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman.
Nicodemus - Is a well-educated, religious, moral, and male
The Samaritan Woman - Is a Samaritan, probably illiterate, religiously compromised, immoral, and a woman
Nicodemus - Is named
The Samaritan Woman - Not named
Nicodemus - Comes to Jesus in the cover of darkness
The Samaritan Woman - Meets Jesus at high noon
Nicodemus - Responds to Jesus’ requirement of new birth with “how can this be?”
The Samaritan Woman - Responds to the living water with “sir, give me this water.”
How does John bring out his thought that Jesus is the giver of new life in the story of the healing of the nobleman’s son?
Jesus already brought the gospel to a respected Jewish teacher
Then to an outcast Samaritan woman and her village
He then goes one step further from “official Judaism” by healing the son of a gentile official who worked for the Roman government
- This shows that Jesus’ word is powerful and effectual
The Titles Jesus’ Disciples Give him
Rabbi
The one who is written about in the Law and prophets
Son of God
Kings of Israel
Jesus of Nazareth
How does John respond to his disciples that Jesus is attracting and baptizing more disciples than the Baptist (3:21-30)?
God’s providence determines ministerial success
27 John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven.
I am not the Messiah but his forerunner
28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’
He must increase, I must decrease
30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”
What are the three reasons that John the apostle sets for to support the thought that Jesus is greater than John the Baptist (3:31-36)?
Jesus is superior because of his heavenly origin (3:31)
Jesus is superior because of his heavenly testimony (3:32-34)
Jesus is superior because of his heavenly authority (3:35-36)
