Day 75 - Luke 20:20 - John 5:47

In today's section, we read about:

Jesus discusses death, taxes and the end of the earth
Jesus has his last supper with the disciples, is betrayed, arrested, put on trial, sentenced and handed over to be crucified
Jesus rises from the dead, appears to the woman, two disciples on the road to Emmaus and then the disciples in Jerusalem
John's Gospel opens with the description of Jesus as the Word
John the Baptist points to the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world
The wedding at Cana
Jesus clears the temple and talks with Nicodemus
Jesus talks to the Samaritan woman at the well in Sychar
Jesus equates himself with God

Some thoughts which occurred to me today:

When we have read Jesus teaching about events in times to come, it has not always been clear when he is referring to. However, in Lk 21:8ff, he is speaking in response to a specific question about when the Temple will be destroyed, so is it unreasonable to read this passage against that background. More generally, Jesus warns repeatedly to be ready for his return at any time, rather than sit back waiting for certain signs. He himself doesn't know the time, as that is known only by the Father

I like the NLT version of 22:16, "for I tell you now that I won’t eat this meal again until its meaning is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God.” The Passover recalls God's deliverance from slavery into freedom, and the people being saved by the blood of a sacrificed lamb.

Jesus gives the image of heaven being a lot of celebrations - (eg the parable of the great feast in Lk 14:16-24). Here at the last supper in 22:28-30, he says "You have stayed with me in my time of trial. And just as my Father has granted me a Kingdom, I now grant you the right to eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom."

Jesus is completely realistic about our failings. When he speaks to Peter in 22:32 he knows that Peter will let him down, and says "when you repent", not if.

Herod Antipas had been looking for the opportunity to see Jesus, because he thought he some sort of entertainer or conjurer. So when he finally gets the chance and Jesus refuses to answer, his interest turns to mockery (23:11).

Is 23:43 an example of cheap and easy forgiveness (which causes us to react like the elder brother in the parable of the prodigal son), or is it an example of the amazing grace and humility and love of the God who forgives us. Shouldn't our lives reflect the latter rather than the former reality?

Luke goes even further than Mark in describing the response of the Roman centurion. Here he says that "he worshipped God and said, "surely this man was innocent"" (23:47).

I so wish I could listen to the conservation that Jesus has with the two disciples on the road to Emmaus as he "took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself" (24:27). 24:32, "didn't our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?"

I love the way this gospel ends - "then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures... this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations... ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent’" (24: 45-47). The response of the disciples is - "they worshiped him and then returned to Jerusalem filled with great joy. And they spent all of their time in the Temple, praising God" (24:52-53).


I can understand how theological students can spend a whole term on the first 14 verses of John's gospel. There is so much in there, so many mind-blowingly huge concepts. The one that really hit me between the eyes, "the Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone" (Jn 1:4). Also Jn 1:12, "to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God."

It is the timelessness of Jesus that is one of the hallmarks of his divinity - "A man is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me", (1:30).

It is interesting that we read that Andrew and Peter were previously before John the Baptist's disciples, and there was obviously a certain level of expectation that the messiah was going to appear soon.

I'd not noticed the reference in 1:51 to Jacob's vision of a stairway (Gen 28:12). Jesus is the means by which we will be able to go up to the Father in heaven. We can never get there on our own, but through Jesus all things are possible.

Another bit that had passed me by previously was 2:24-25, "Jesus didn’t trust them, because he knew human nature. No one needed to tell him what mankind is really like."

The two long discussions, with Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman, show Jesus confronting and challenging these people, without compromising his views or awareness of what he has to do. Here we see him equally in control whether with an important figure in the establishment or a despised outcast. In both cases, he challenges their assumptions, offers a promise of something that is too good to be true or can only be attained in an impossible way.

Jesus' discourse in 5:16-47 sets out starkly his claims to be equal with God. But he does it in a way not to glorify himself, but to show how far away the people's understanding currently is, and how it is possible to bring about a complete change of mindset, focusing on how Jesus is totally dependent on God the Father, but because of this has total authority - 5:39-40, " You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me! Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life."

One verse from today - "I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life" (Jn 5:24).