Category: The New Testament Simplified

A man named Lazarus was sick. He came from Bethany where his sisters Mary and Martha lived. This was the same Mary who had poured ointment on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair. She was Lazarus’ sister.

The sisters sent a message to Jesus that said, “Lord, someone you love is sick.”

Jesus heard the message and said, “This sickness will not result in death, but God’s glory, so God’s son may be worshipped because of it.”

Jesus loved Martha, Mary and Lazarus, so when he heard Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was for two days. Then he said to his disciples, “Let’s return to Judea.”

The disciples replied, “Teacher, the Jews were just trying to kill you, and you want to go back there?”

“Aren’t there twelve hours each day?” Jesus asked. “If anyone walks in the daylight, they don’t trip over because they see the world’s light. But if someone walks around at night, they might trip over something because there is no light in them.”

Jesus added, “Our friend Lazarus is asleep, but I’m going to go and wake him up.”

“Lord, if he’s asleep, he’ll recover,” the disciples said.

Jesus had been talking about his own death, but the disciples thought he was talking about actual sleep.

So Jesus told them clearly, “Lazarus has died, and I’m happy for you that I wasn’t there, so you can believe. Let’s go to him.”

Thomas (the twin) said to the other disciples, “Let’s go as well so we can die with him.”

When they arrived, Jesus found Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Bethany was near Jerusalem, about 3 kilometres (2 miles) away, so many Jews came to Martha and Mary to comfort the ladies about their brother.

When Martha heard Jesus was coming, she went to meet him, but Mary stayed sitting in the house.

“Lord, if you had been here, my brother wouldn’t have died,” Martha told Jesus. “I still know that God will give you whatever you ask from him.”

“Your brother will rise up again,”  Jesus replied.

“I know he will rise up again at the rising on the last day.”

“I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even if they die. Everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe me?”

“Yes, Lord,” she said. “I believe that you are the Christ, God’s Son, who came to the world.”

Martha then went and privately said to her sister, Mary, “The Teacher is here and wants to talk to you.”

So Mary quickly got up and went to Jesus. Jesus hadn’t come to the village yet, but was waiting where he had met with Martha. The Jews who with Mary in the house to comfort her saw her quickly stand up and leave. They followed her because they thought she was going to the tomb to cry there.

Mary came to Jesus and fell at his feet. “Lord, if you had been here, my brother wouldn’t have died.”

33 Jesus saw her, and the Jews with her, crying and felt moved and troubled.

“Where have you laid him?” he asked.

“Lord, come and see,” they replied.

Jesus cried.

The Jews said, “He cared for him.”

But some of them said, “Couldn’t this man who opens the blinds’ eyes act so this man wouldn’t have died?”

Jesus, feeling deeply moved, went to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone sealing it.

“Take the stone away,” Jesus said.

Martha, the dead man’s sister, said, “Lord, there is already a smell because it has been four days.”

“Didn’t I tell you that if you believed, you would see God’s glory?” Jesus replied.

So they removed the stone. Jesus looked up and said, “Father, thank you for hearing me,  and I know that you always hear me, but I said it so that this crowd standing here would believe that you sent me.” He then loudly yelled, “Lazarus, come out!”

The man who had died came out. His feet and hands were wrapped in cloth, and his face was wrapped in a facecloth.

“Untie him and release him,” Jesus said to the Jews.

Many of the Jews who had come with Mary saw what happened and believed in Jesus, but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.

The head priests and Pharisees held a council meeting and said, “What are we going to do? This man is doing many miracles. If we allow him to keep going, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take our place and society.”

But one of them, Caiaphas (that year’s high priest) said, “You don’t know anything. You also didn’t think that it would be an advantage for you, for one man to die for the people, and the whole nation not die.”

These weren’t Caiaphas’s own words. He was that year’s high priest and revealed that Jesus was going to die for the nation, and not just for the nation, but also so that God’s children who were spread around the place would gather as one.

The Jews from then on decided to kill Jesus, so Jesus didn’t walk freely around the Jews. He left for a place near the wilderness, to a village called Ephraim, and he stayed there with his disciples.

The Jews’ Passover Festival was coming, and many people travelled to Jerusalem from the countryside before Passover to purify themselves. The Jews looked for Jesus and talked with each other while standing in the temple. “Do you think he won’t come to the festival?”

The chief priests had ordered that if anyone knew where Jesus was, they should tell them so they could arrest him.

John Chapter 11 Summary

Lazarus, a man from Bethany and the brother of Mary and Martha, falls sick and dies. His sisters send for Jesus, hoping he would come and heal Lazarus. However, Jesus stays where he is for two days, stating that Lazarus’s sickness would glorify God. When He arrives, Lazarus has been dead for four days. Martha meets Jesus, having faith in him despite her sadness. Mary later also meets Jesus, and both she and the mourners cry, leading to Jesus crying as well. Jesus then goes to Lazarus’s tomb and commands the stone to be removed. He prays and then calls Lazarus to come out of the tomb. Lazarus emerges alive. This miracle leads many people to believe in Jesus, but it also angers the Pharisees. Worried about Jesus’s growing influence, they plan to kill him. Jesus leaves the public eye, staying in a remote village as the Passover festival take place.

John Chapter 11 Bible Study Questions and Answers

1. What does this story teach us about trusting God’s timing, even during difficult times
Answer: This story shows that God’s timing if often different from what we want, but it serves a greater purpose. Jesus delayed going to Lazarus to show God’s glory through bring Lazarus back to life, teaching us to trust him even when we don’t understand His plans.

2. How does Jesus’s declaration, “I am the resurrection and the life,” apply to Christian living today?
Answer: It reminds Christians that faith in Jesus offers eternal life and hope, even in the face of death. It challenges believers to live with the knowledge of his power over both physical and spiritual death.

3. Why do you think Jesus cried, even though he knew he would raise Lazarus? What does this reveal about him?
Answer: Jesus cried because of the sadness and pain of those around Him. This shows his care and deep empathy for others, reminding Christians that he shares in their sadness and understands their struggles.

4. How can we, like Martha, show faith in Jesus even when we are troubled or uncertain?
Answer: Martha believed in Jesus’s power and who he is even in her sadness. Similarly, Christians can hold onto God’s promises, pray honestly, and trust in him during our hard times.

5. What lessons can we learn from the Pharisees’ response to Jesus’s miracle?
Answer: The Pharisees’ fear of losing power blinded them to the truth of who Jesus is. This warns Christians to avoid letting pride or fear keep them from recognising and following God’s work.

John Chapter 11 Explained

John 11 begins with Jesus receiving news of Lazarus’s illness but choosing to delay His visit. This delay wasn’t carelessness but intentional, as Jesus declared that Lazarus’s sickness would glorify God. This teaches readers that God’s plans often goes further than what we can understand and serves greater purposes than we can see at the moment.

When Jesus finally arrived in Bethany, Lazarus had been dead for four days. This timeline highlights the miracle’s power since Jewish tradition held that the soul stayed in the body for three days before leaving for the afterlife. Martha’s faith is seen when she tells Jesus that even now, God will give him whatever he asks for. Her belief in the resurrection points to her hope in God’s ultimate plan, but Jesus expands her understanding by explaining, “I am the resurrection and the life.” This statement reveals that resurrection is not just a future event but found in Jesus Himself.

Jesus’s discussion with Mary and the Jews shows his deep care. Jesus cried even though he knew he would raise Lazarus, sharing in their sorrow. This moment shows his humanity and empathy, reminding believers that he is not distant but understands their pain.

At the tomb, Jesus asks for the stone to be removed despite Martha’s concern about the smell. “Didn’t I tell you that if you believed, you would see God’s glory?” Jesus challenges her and the others to completely trust him. When Jesus prays aloud, he doesn’t do it for himself, but so that the crowd might believe in his relationship to God. This prayer highlights the purpose of miracles in revealing God’s power.

Jesus calls out, “Lazarus, come out!”, showing his power over death. Lazarus comes out, alive and bound in grave clothes, a stunning sign of Jesus’s power as the Giver of life. This miracle leads many to believe in Him, but it also increases the Pharisees’ anger towards Jesus. Fearing the loss of their position and power, they plan to kill Jesus. Caiaphas, the high priest, prophesies that Jesus’s death will save not just the nation but unite all of God’s children. This highlights how God’s plans can work even through humans who oppose it.

The chapter finishes with Jesus leaving and preparing for what is coming. As the Passover festival comes nearer, so does his ultimate sacrifice.

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Continue exploring John 11

If you’d like to read John xx in other translations, here are a few BibleHub links:
For a translation that aims to be word-for-word, try John 11 in the English Standard Version.
For a translation that aims to be more thought-for-thought, try John 11 in the New International Version.
For a translation that aims to communicate the overall meaning, try John 11 in the Contemporary English Version.

If you prefer to read the Bible in a hard-copy format, here are cheaper versions from Amazon:
[These are Amazon affiliate links which support the production of this blog]
For a translation that aims to be word-for-word, ESV Economy Bible
For a translation that aims to be more thought-for-thought, NIV, Economy Bible, Paperback: Accurate. Readable. Clear.
For a translation that aims to communicate the overall meaning, Holy Bible: Contemporary English Version

If you’d like to explore John in more depth, here are two commentaries I would recommend:
[These are Amazon affiliate links which support the production of this blog]
Easy to access commentaries that include life applications:
The NIV Application Commentary: John
For a commentary that goes into more depth:
The Gospel of John (The New International Commentary on the New Testament)

Jesus told the Jews this story; “I’m honestly telling you that someone who doesn’t enter the sheep’s pen by the gate, but climbs in a different way, is a robber and a gangster. But someone who goes in through the gate is the sheep’s shepherd. In this case, the gatekeeper opens it and the sheep hear the shepherd’s voice, and he calls to his sheep by name and leads them away. Whenever he sends all his sheep out, he leads them and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. They won’t follow a stranger. They will run away from him because they don’t know the stranger’s voice.”

The Jews didn’t understand what he was saying to them.

Jesus told them again, “I’m honestly telling you, I am the sheep’s gate. Everyone who came before me were robbers and gangsters but the sheep didn’t listen to them. I’m the gate. If anyone enters through me, then they will be saved. They’ll enter and leave and find the grass fields. The robber only comes to steal, kill and destroy. I have come so that the people may have so much life.

“I’m the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives up his life for his sheep. The assistant, who is not the shepherd and doesn’t own the sheep, sees a wolf coming and runs away, leaving the sheep. The wolf captures a sheep and the rest of the sheep run for it. Because the assistant is just a worker, he doesn’t care about the sheep. I’m the good shepherd and I know my sheep. They know me, just like the Father knows me and I know the Father.

“I give up my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not in this paddock. I need to bring them as well. They will hear my voice and become one flock for one shepherd. The Father loves me because I give up my life so I can have my life again.

No one takes my life from me, but I choose to give it up. I have the power to give my life up and I have the power to take my life again. I received this instruction from my Father.”

The Jews were divided again because of what Jesus said.

Many of them said, “He is possessed by a demon and crazy. Why are you listening to him?”

Other people said, “This isn’t what someone possessed by a demon would say. A demon can’t open a blind person’s eyes.”

The Dedication Festival was held in Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the courtyard of Solomon’s temple.

The Jews surrounded him and asked him, “What are you waiting for? Tell us clearly if you are the Christ.”

“I told you, but you don’t believe me,” Jesus replied. “The things I do in my Father’s name show you who I am, but you don’t believe me because you aren’t one of my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice and follow me, and I know them. I give them life that lasts forever, and they will never die. No one will ever take them out of my hand. My Father, who gave them to me, is the greatest and no one can take them from my Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.”

The Jews picked up more stones to kill him.

Jesus said to them, “I’ve shown you many good actions from the Father. Which action are you going to stone me for?”

The Jews replied, “We’re not stoning you because of a good act, but because of your speech against God. You are a man claiming to be God.”

Jesus said, “Doesn’t it say in your writings, ‘I said you are gods’? If he called them gods who God’s teachings were given to, and scripture cannot be undone, do you say to the person the Father dedicated and sent into the world, ‘You are insulting God’, because I said, ‘I’m God’s son’? If I don’t do my Father’s tasks, don’t believe me, but I’m doing his tasks. Even if you don’t believe me, believe the actions, so you know and can see the Father is in me and I’m in the Father.”

The Jews tried to arrest Jesus but Jesus escaped from their grasp.

He travelled to the other side of the Jordan River, where John had previously been baptising people, and Jesus stayed there.

Many people came to Jesus and said, “John didn’t perform miracles, but everything John said about this man was true.”

Many people believed in Jesus there.

John Chapter 10 Summary

Jesus uses the story of a shepherd and his sheep to describe his relationship with his followers. He explains that those who enter the sheep’s pen by the gate are true shepherds, while others who sneak in are thieves. Jesus teaches that he is the gate for the sheep—anyone who enters through him will be saved from eternal death. He also calls himself the “Good Shepherd” who gives up his life for the sheep, contrasting himself with casual workers who leave the sheep when danger comes. Jesus says his followersecognise his voice and follow him, just as he knows them personally.

Jesus also teaches about having other sheep outside the groups that he must bring into the paddock. He explains he has the power to give up his life and take it up again, as instructed by the Father. Later, during the Festival of Dedication, the Jews demand Jesus tell them clearly if he is the Christ. Jesus says he is united with the Father, which makes them angry, and the Jews accuse him of speaking against God. They want to kill him, but Jesus escapes and continues his mission, with many people coming to believe in him.

John Chapter 10 Bible Study Questions and Answers

1. What does it mean for Jesus to call himself the “Good Shepherd”?
Answer: Jesus is saying he cares for his followers with love, even to the point of sacrificing his life. This challenges us to think about how we trust and follow him in our daily lives.

2. How can we recognise the voice of Jesus in our own lives?
Answer: We hear Jesus’ voice by reading the bible, praying, and listening to the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Are there areas where we need to tune out other voices or sounds to focus more on him?

3. What does Jesus mean by “I have other sheep that are not in this paddock”?
Answer: He likely refers to non-Jews (Gentiles) who would also come to believe in him. This challenges us to share the gospel with others, even those different from us.

4. What does it mean that no one can take Jesus’ sheep from his hand?
Answer: Jesus promises eternal security for his followers. This promise can give us confidence and peace in difficult times.

5. Why do you think Jesus’ actions, like healing, are so important for faith?
Answer: Jesus’ miracles show his divine power and mission. His actions inspire us to trust him and live out our faith through serving him.

John Chapter 10 Explained

This chapter teaches about Jesus’ care, protection, and sacrifice for his followers. Through the story of sheep and a shepherd, Jesus highlights the deep personal relationship he has with believers. He knows his sheep personally, calls them by name, and leads them into safety. This reflects the loving care and leadership Jesus offers, contrasting with the indifference of casual workers, referring to religious leaders who leave or even harm the sheep. This teaches us to trust Jesus as our shepherd and to follow his guidance rather than the distracting or harmful influences of the world.

When Jesus says, “I am the gate,” he is meaning that salvation and life comes through him alone. This aligns with the message throughout the Gospel of John: Jesus is the only way to the Father. The promise of finding “grass fields” symbolises the spiritual food and rest found in Christ. As Christians, we are challenged to reflect on whether we are fully entering through Jesus or trying to find life somewhere else.

The idea of “other sheep” points to how Jesus’ mission aims to include everyone. The gospel is for all people, not just one nation or group. This compels us to think about how we welcome others into the “one flock” under Christ. The unity Jesus describes is a reminder of the Church which is made up of believers worldwide.

Jesus’ claim to be one with the Father is important but controversial. His opponents see this as speaking against God, but Jesus uses passages from the old testament to defend his relationship with God. By pointing to his works—miracles of healing, care, and power—he asks people to believe, even if they struggle to understand his words. This teaches us that faith can grow through seeing God’s work in the world, whether through miracles, answered prayers, or changed lives.

The chapter closes with Jesus escaping his enemies and continuing his ministry. This reminds us of God’s timing and purpose—Jesus’ mission was not yet complete, and he had more people to reach. Despite having many enemies, many people believed in him, showing the power of his words and actions.

To read the next chapters, you might like to follow or subscribe to this blog!

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Continue exploring John 10

If you’d like to read John 10 in other translations, here are a few BibleHub links:
For a translation that aims to be word-for-word, try John 10 in the English Standard Version.
For a translation that aims to be more thought-for-thought, try John 10 in the New International Version.
For a translation that aims to communicate the overall meaning, try John 10 in the Contemporary English Version.

If you prefer to read the Bible in a hard-copy format, here are cheaper versions from Amazon:
[These are Amazon affiliate links which support the production of this blog]
For a translation that aims to be word-for-word, ESV Economy Bible
For a translation that aims to be more thought-for-thought, NIV, Economy Bible, Paperback: Accurate. Readable. Clear.
For a translation that aims to communicate the overall meaning, Holy Bible: Contemporary English Version

If you’d like to explore John in more depth, here are two commentaries I would recommend:
[These are Amazon affiliate links which support the production of this blog]
Easy to access commentaries that include life applications:
The NIV Application Commentary: John
For a commentary that goes into more depth:
The Gospel of John (The New International Commentary on the New Testament)

As Jesus was walking, he saw a man who had been blind since birth and Jesus’ followers asked him, “Teacher, did this man or his parents sin, causing him to be born blind?”

Jesus replied, “This man didn’t sin and neither did his parents. This happened so that God’s works could be shown through him. We need to do my sender’s work during the daytime. Nighttime is coming when no one can work. I am the world’s light while I’m in the world.”

After talking, Jesus spat on the ground and made mud with the dirt and saliva. He then smeared the mud on the man’s eyes.

Jesus said to him, “Go and clean yourself in the Siloam pool.”

Siloam means ‘sent’. So the man cleaned himself and could see when he came back.

The neighbours and people who had seen the man before when he was a beggar asked, “Isn’t this the man who used to sit and beg?”

“It’s him,” some people said.

Others said, “It’s not, but he looks like him.”

“I am him!” The man said.

The people asked him, “How did your eyes start working?”

He replied, “The man named Jesus made mud and spread it on my eyes. He said, ‘Go to Siloam and clean yourself’, so I went and washed, and then I could see.”

The people asked, “Where’s this man?”

“I don’t know,” he replied,

The people brought the man who had been blind to the Pharisees.

It had been the Sabbath rest day when Jesus made the mud and made the man see.

The Pharisees asked the man again how he could see, and he explained, “He put mud on my eyes, I cleaned it off and then I could see.”

Some Pharisees said, “This Jesus isn’t from God because he doesn’t do the Sabbath rest day.” Others said, “How can a sinning man do miracles like that?”

The Pharisees were divided.

They asked the formerly blind man again, “What are you saying about the man who made you see?”

“He’s a prophet,” The man replied.

The Jews didn’t believe that he had really been blind and then could see until they interviewed the man’s parents.

They asked the parents, “Is this your son who you said was born blind? How can he see now?”

His parents replied, “We know he is our son and he was born blind, but we don’t know how he can see now or who fixed his eyes. Ask him. He’s an adult and can tell you himself.”

His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews. The Jews had previously agreed that if anyone said Jesus was the Christ, they would not be allowed to come to the temple, so the parents said, “He is an adult. Ask him.”

The Jews talked to the formerly blind man again and said, “Tell the truth and you’ll be praising God. We know that Jesus is a sinner.”

“I don’t know if he is a sinner,” the man said. “I only know that I was blind, and now I can see.”

So the Jews asked, “What did he do to you? How did he make you see?”

“I already told you but you’re not listening,” the man replied. “Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become one of his followers?”

They swore at him and said, “You’re one of his followers. We follow Moses. We know God spoke to Moses but we don’t know where this Jesus comes from.”

The man said, “The amazing thing is that he opened my eyes, but you don’t know where he is from. We know God doesn’t listen to sinners, but if someone follows God and does what God wants, God will listen to them. No one has ever heard that someone helped someone see after being born blind. If this Jesus wasn’t from God, he wouldn’t be able to do it.”

“You were born full of sin, and you’re trying to teach us things?” The Jews replied, and they threw the man out of the temple.

Jesus heard they threw the man out and went to find him.

He asked the man, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”

“Who is he so I can believe in him?” the man answered.

Jesus said, “You’ve seen him. He is talking with you right now.”

The man said, “I believe, Lord” and worshipped Jesus.

Jesus said, “I came into the world to judge, so the people who cannot see can see, and those who do see become blind.”

Some Pharisees nearby heard this and asked Jesus, “Are you saying we’re also blind?”

Jesus replied, “You wouldn’t be guilty if you were blind. But you’re saying ‘we understand’, so you’re still guilty.”

John Chapter 9 Summary

Jesus heals a man blind from birth, showing God’s power and challenging the traditional beliefs about sin and suffering. His disciples ask whether the man’s blindness was caused by his or his parents’ sin. Jesus explains that it happened so God’s works could be revealed. The man’s healing confuses his neighbours, who can’t recognise him. His testimony about Jesus causes division. Some Pharisees tell Jesus off for healing on the Sabbath, while others wonder how a sinner could perform miracles.

The healed man’s parents confirm his blindness but avoid talking about Jesus, scared of being separated from their community. The man, however, states that Jesus must be from God. He is sent out of the synagogue. Jesus finds him and confirms that he is the Son of Man, and the man believes and worships him. Jesus compares spiritual blindness with physical sight, telling the Pharisees that they are guilty because of their lack of humility.

John Chapter 9 Bible Study Questions and Answers

1. What does Jesus’ answer to the disciples’ question about the blind man’s sin teach us about suffering?
Answer: Jesus teaches that suffering is not always a result of sin or disobedience, but it can be a chance for God’s work to be revealed. This reminds us to trust God and look for his purpose in difficult times.

2. How does the blind man’s boldness when talking about Jesus challenge us in sharing our faith?
Answer: The man speaks honestly and bravely about Jesus, even under pressure from the Pharisees. This inspires us to be confident in our faith without worrying about people who oppose us, or rejection.

3. Why did the Pharisees refuse to accept Jesus, even when shown a clear miracle? How can we avoid similar spiritual blindness?
Answer: The Pharisees’ pride and keenness to hold to tradition blinded them to the truth. To avoid spiritual blindness, we must be open to God’s work in our lives, and be willing to see beyond our assumptions.

4. What does the blind man’s growing understanding of Jesus show about how our faith can grow?
Answer: His faith grows from seeing Jesus as a healer to understanding Jesus as a prophet, and finally worshipping him as the Son of God. Faith often grows through experiences and deeper understanding of who Jesus is.

5. How does Jesus’ teaching about spiritual blindness apply to us today?
Answer: Jesus warns that claiming to “see” while rejecting him leaves us guilty. This challenges us to examine whether we truly look for God’s truth or rely on our own understanding.

John Chapter 9 Explained

John 9 begins with Jesus and his disciples meeting a man blind from birth. When the disciples assume his blindness is a result of sin, Jesus teaches them that not all suffering is punishment. Instead, God can use hard times to reveal his nature and glory. This challenges us to think carefully about how we view suffering in our own lives.

Jesus heals the man in a strange way—by making mud with his saliva, rubbing it on the man’s eyes, and telling him to wash in the pool of Siloam. The act of healing on the Sabbath (day of rest) was controversial. The Pharisees, focused on religious rules, question both the man and his parents to try and get Jesus in trouble. They refuse to believe in Jesus, despite clear evidence, because of their spiritual blindness.

The healed man, however, grows in faith. At the start, he knows little about Jesus but fearlessly tells everyone about his healing. His bravery and honesty is quite different to his parents, who, out of fear, don’t acknowledge what Jesus did. The man’s journey of faith grows when Jesus reveals himself as the Son of Man. The man worships Jesus, showing the ultimate response to meeting Christ, which is faith and dedication.

The man who was physically blind gets not only physical sight but spiritual insight. The Pharisees, despite their religious knowledge, remain spiritually blind because of their pride and unwillingness to accept Jesus. Jesus’ teaching that he came to give sight to the blind, but blind those who claim to see shows this truth.

To read the next chapters, you might like to follow or subscribe to this blog!

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Continue exploring John 9

If you’d like to read John 9 in other translations, here are a few BibleHub links:
For a translation that aims to be word-for-word, try John 9 in the English Standard Version.
For a translation that aims to be more thought-for-thought, try John 9 in the New International Version.
For a translation that aims to communicate the overall meaning, try John 9 in the Contemporary English Version.

If you prefer to read the Bible in a hard-copy format, here are cheaper versions from Amazon:
[These are Amazon affiliate links which support the production of this blog]
For a translation that aims to be word-for-word, ESV Economy Bible
For a translation that aims to be more thought-for-thought, NIV, Economy Bible, Paperback: Accurate. Readable. Clear.
For a translation that aims to communicate the overall meaning, Holy Bible: Contemporary English Version

If you’d like to explore John in more depth, here are two commentaries I would recommend:
[These are Amazon affiliate links which support the production of this blog]
Easy to access commentaries that include life applications:
The NIV Application Commentary: John
For a commentary that goes into more depth:
The Gospel of John (The New International Commentary on the New Testament)

Jesus travelled to Jerusalem for a Jewish festival.

In Jerusalem, near the Sheep Gate, was a pool called Bethesda that had five porches. Many sick and disabled people were lying there. One man was there who had been sick for 38 years.

Jesus saw him lying there and knew he had been there for a long time. Jesus asked him, “You want to be healed?”

The sick man answered, “Sir, I don’t have anyone that can put me in the pool when the water is flowing. Someone else goes down before me, while I am going.”

Jesus said, “Get up. Pick up your bed and walk.”

The man was immediately healed. He picked up his bed and began walking. It was the Sabbath (rest) day.

The Jews said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath. You are not allowed to carry your bed.”

The man replied, “My healer said, ‘pick up your bed and walk’.”

“Which man told you to, ‘pick it up and walk’?” The Jews asked.

But the healed man didn’t know who it was because Jesus had left through the crowds.

Later, Jesus found the man in the temple and said, “Look, you’ve being healed. Don’t do any more wrong things, in case something worse happens.”

The man went to the Jews and told them it was Jesus who had healed him.

The Jews began going after Jesus because of this. He was healing on the day set aside for rest.

Jesus explained to them, “My Father is working today and I am too.”

Because of this, the Jews wanted to kill him, not only because he was breaking the day of rest, but because he was calling God his Father, which made him equal with God.

Jesus said to them, “I’m honestly telling you, the Son can’t do anything except for what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the son also does in a similar way. The Father loves the son and shows him everything he is doing. He will show you even greater works than what I did today, and you’ll be amazed. Just like the Father brings the dead back to life, the Son also chooses who to make alive. The Father does not judge anyone but has given all the judgement to the Son so everyone will respect the Son just like the respect the Father. Whoever does not respect the Son does not respect the Father who sent him. I’m honestly telling you; whoever hears my word and believes my sender gets eternal life and does not get judged, but they go from death to life.

I’m honestly telling you that a time is coming, and it’s here now, when the dead will hear the Son of God’s voice, and the hearers will live. Just like the Father has life in himself, he has allowed the Son to have life in himself. He has given him the right to judge because is the Son of Man. Don’t be amazed at this, because a time is coming when everyone in the tombs will hear his voice and they will leave. Those who have done good will leave to a life resurrection, but those who have done evil will leave to a judgement resurrection.

I can’t do anything from myself. Listening, I judge and my judgement is fair because I don’t look for my own wishes, but the wishes of my sender.

If I biasly talk about myself, what I say is wrong. Someone else talks about me and I know that what he says about me is right. You sent for John and he told you the truth. I don’t just take what people say, but I’m telling you this so you can be saved. That person was the lamp burning and shining, and you wanted to celebrate for an hour in his light, but I have something to share greater than what John did. The tasks the Father gave me to complete, the tasks I am doing, speak about me and that the Father sent me.

The Father who sent me has spoken about me. You haven’t ever heard his voice or seen him, or have his message living in you, because you don’t believe in the person he sent. You look through the scriptures because you think you have everlasting life in them, and these scriptures talk about me. You’re not wanting to come to me to get everlasting life. I don’t take honour from people, but I know that you don’t have God’s love in you.

I came in my Father’s name and you don’t accept me. If someone comes in his own name, you would accept them. How can you believe when you accept honour from each other but don’t look for glory from the only God?

Don’t think I will accuse you before the Father. Moses is the one who accuses you. You’ve put your hope in him, and if you believed Moses, you would believe me, because Moses wrote about me. If you don’t believe Moses’ writings, how will you believe my words?”

John Chapter 5 Summary

Jesus visits Jerusalem and meets a man who has been sick for 38 years. The man believes he cannot be healed because he can’t get to the pool of Bethesda in time. Jesus heals him instantly by telling him to “get up, pick up your bed, and walk.” This healing occurs on the Sabbath (day of rest), which upsets the Jewish leaders who believe it is wrong to carry a bed on this day. The healed man tells the leaders it was Jesus who healed him, and this increases their anger towards Jesus. Jesus explains that he is working with His Father, God and talks about His divine authority, highlighting that the Father has given Him the power to give life and to judge. Jesus criticises the Jewish leaders for not really accepting God, even though the Scriptures and Moses spoke of Him. He warns that their hope in Moses will lead them astray because Moses wrote about Him, and rejecting Jesus means rejecting God’s message.

John Chapter 5 Bible Study Questions and Answers

1. What does the healing at Bethesda teach us about Jesus’ compassion?
Answer: This shows that Jesus cares and gives attention to individual suffering. The man was unable to help himself, but Jesus offers the man healing, without the man even asking. It shows that Jesus sees and understands our struggles, even when we feel hopeless.

2. How does Jesus’ healing on the day of rest challenge our understanding of religious rules and care?
Answer: Jesus prioritises care over religious rules, showing that acts of love and mercy should not be limited by legalism. This challenges us to consider whether our practices and beliefs sometimes prevent us from showing love and kindness.

3. What can we learn from the Jewish leaders’ reaction to the healing about the danger of legalism?
Answer: The Jewish leaders were more concerned with breaking the day of rest rules than with the miraculous healing. This shows how legalism can blind us to the work of God and lead us to prefer rules over people. It reminds us to focus on the spirit of God’s laws, which is love.

4. How does Jesus’ claim of being equal with God impact our understanding of who he is?
Answer: Jesus makes it clear that He is not just a prophet but the Son of God. This challenges us to recognise and honour Jesus as God Himself, worthy of our faith and obedience.

5. Why is belief in Jesus essential according to this chapter, and how does it affect our relationship with God?
Answer: Jesus explains that eternal life comes from believing in Him and that rejecting Him means rejecting the Father who sent Him. This highlights the importance of faith in Jesus for being saved and entering into a relationship with God.

John Chapter 5 Explained

The chapter begins with Jesus traveling to Jerusalem for a festival, where He meets a man who had been ill for 38 years at the pool of Bethesda. The pool was believed to have healing properties when the water bubbled up, but the man, due to his sickness, was never able to reach it in time. When Jesus asks if he wants to be healed, the man’s response is full of hopelessness, as he believes healing is beyond his reach. Jesus, however, heals the man instantly by commanding him to get up, take his bed, and walk. This miracle not only shows Jesus’ power but also His deep care, as He meets the man’s need without being asked.

The healing takes place on the Sabbath, a day set aside for rest according to Jewish law. The Jewish leaders, instead of celebrating the man’s healing, focus on the fact that he is carrying his bed, which they consider work and therefore breaking the Sabbath rules. This reaction highlights the dangers of legalism, where rules can be valued more than showing mercy and care. The healed man, unaware of who Jesus was, later meets Him in the temple, where Jesus warns him to avoid sin to prevent something worse from happening to him. This suggests that spiritual well-being is as important as physical health, and that Jesus’ concern goes beyond just physical healing.

The Jewish leaders confront Jesus for healing on the Sabbath. Jesus claims that He is working just as His Father is, implying that He is not bound by Sabbath rules because He is doing the work of God. This angers the leaders because it not only suggests that Jesus is above the law but also implies he is equal with God, which they see as insulting God’s importance.

Jesus further discusses His relationship with the Father (God), explaining that He only does what He sees the Father doing, and that the Father has given Jesus the responsibility of judgement. Jesus explains his authority to give life and judge, indicating that honouring the Son is the same as honouring the Father. Jesus’ words here are important because they establish His authority and His role in God’s plan of saving humanity.

Jesus further challenges the Jewish leaders by pointing out that their study of the Scriptures should lead them to Him, as the Scriptures tell them about Him. However, the leaders lack of belief in Him shows a lack of genuine faith in God, despite all their knowledge about the scriptures. Jesus also mentions Moses, whom the Jewish leaders see as very important, saying that Moses wrote about Him. Therefore, their disbelief in Jesus also indicates a failure to understand and believe Moses’ writings.

To read the next chapters, you might like to follow or subscribe to this blog!

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Continue exploring John 5

If you’d like to read John 5 in other translations, here are a few BibleHub links:
For a translation that aims to be word-for-word, try John 5 in the English Standard Version.
For a translation that aims to be more thought-for-thought, try John 5 in the New International Version.
For a translation that aims to communicate the overall meaning, try John 5 in the Contemporary English Version.

If you prefer to read the Bible in a hard-copy format, here are cheaper versions from Amazon:
[These are Amazon affiliate links which support the production of this blog]
For a translation that aims to be word-for-word, ESV Economy Bible
For a translation that aims to be more thought-for-thought, NIV, Economy Bible, Paperback: Accurate. Readable. Clear.
For a translation that aims to communicate the overall meaning, Holy Bible: Contemporary English Version

If you’d like to explore John in more depth, here are two commentaries I would recommend:
[These are Amazon affiliate links which support the production of this blog]
Easy to access commentaries that include life applications:
The NIV Application Commentary: John
For a commentary that goes into more depth:
The Gospel of John (The New International Commentary on the New Testament)

Jesus became aware that the Pharisees had heard he was baptising more disciples than John, even though his disciples were doing the actual baptising.

He left Judea and started traveling to Galilee, and he needed to go through Samaria. He came to a town called Sychar, in Samaria, close to the land that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.

Jesus was tired from the journey, so he sat down at Jacob’s well at around midday.

A Samarian woman came to draw water.

Jesus said, “Give me a drink.” His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.

The woman replied, “You’re a Jew. How do you ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?” This was because Jews did not associate with Samaritans.

Jesus said, “If you knew God’s gift and who is asking for a drink from you, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”

“Sir, you don’t have a bucket and the well is deep,” The woman said. “Where are you going to get living water from?

Surely you’re not greater than our ancestor Jacob who gave us the well and drank from it himself with his family and animals.”

Jesus explained, “Everyone who drinks of this water here will get thirsty again. Whoever drinks of this water that I will give them will never be thirsty again. The water I give to them will become a water source that leads to everlasting life.”

“Sir, give me this water so I won’t be thirsty or need to come here for more water,” The woman said.

“Go and bring your husband here,” Jesus said.

“I don’t have a husband,” the woman replied.

“You’re right that you don’t have a husband,” Jesus said. “You have had five husbands and your current partner is not your husband. You have told the truth.”

“Sir, I can see you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say we need to worship in Jerusalem.”

“Trust me, ma’am. A time is coming when you won’t worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem. You don’t know what you are worshiping. We know what we are worshiping because the Jews save us, but a time is coming, and it’s happening now, when true worshipers will worship the Father truthfully in spirit. This is because the Father looks for people like this to worship him. God is spirit and his worshipers must worship him truthfully in spirit.”

“I know the Messiah is coming, called Christ,” The woman said. “When that one comes, he will explain everything.”

Jesus said, “He is talking to you right now,”

The disciples arrived and were amazed that Jesus was talking to a woman, but no one asked what he was looking for or why he was talking to her.

The woman left her water jar and went to the town. She said to people, “Come and see a man who told me everything I’ve done. He may be the Christ.”

The people left the town to come and see Jesus.

While this was happening, the disciples said to Jesus, “Teacher, eat some food.”

“I have food to eat the you don’t know of,” Jesus replied.

The disciples said to each other, “Did someone bring him food?”

“My food is that I do what the one who sent me wants me to do, and I finish his tasks. Don’t you say, ‘There are still four months before harvest’? Look, I’m telling you, look up at the fields, because they are white and ready to be harvested. The gatherer gets paid and earns fruit for their everlasting life, so the one who planted the seeds and the gatherer can celebrate together. The saying is true in this context; ‘It is one who plants and another who gathers’. I sent you to gather what you did not work on. Others started the work, and you have continued their work.”

Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in Jesus because of what the woman told them. “He told me everything I had done.”

The Samaritans came to Jesus and asked him to stay with them, so he stayed there for two days.

Many more people believed him because of what he said, and they told the woman, “We don’t believe just because of what you told us, but because we have heard him ourselves, and we know that he is truly the world’s saviour.”

Two days later, Jesus left to go to Galilee, because he himself had said that a prophet is not respected in his hometown.

When he came to Galilee, the people welcomed him, having seen what he had done in Jerusalem at the feast. (They had also come to the feast).

Jesus returned to Cana, Galilee, where he had turned water into wine.

At Capernaum, there was a royal officer who had a sick son. The officer heard that Jesus had returned from Judea to Galilee. He went to Jesus and asked that he come and heal his son who was about to die.

Jesus said to the officer, “Unless you see miracles, you won’t believe.”

The officer said, “Sir, come before my child dies.”

Jesus replied, “Go. Your son will live.” The man believed what Jesus had said and left.

As the officer was returning home, his servant met him on the journey and told him his child was alive. The officer asked the servant when he had being healed.

The servant explained, “The fever left him yesterday in the early afternoon.”

The father realised that was the exact time when Jesus had said, “Your son will live.”

The officer, and everyone else in his house, believed.

This was the second miracle that Jesus did after he came from Judea to Galilee.

John Chapter 4 Summary

Jesus is aware of the Pharisees’ attention on him. He travels from Judea to Galilee via Samaria. At Jacob’s well in Sychar, Jesus asks a Samaritan woman for water, which surprises her because Jews typically avoided Samaritans. Jesus offers her “living water” that leads to eternal life. Through their conversation, Jesus reveals that he knows about her life, leading her to seeing him as a prophet. Jesus speaks of a new age of worship in spirit and truth that goes beyond physical locations. The woman shares her meeting with Jesus with people in her town, leading many Samaritans to believe in Jesus. Meanwhile, Jesus teaches his disciples about spiritual food and being ready for the coming ‘harvest’ of Christian. Later, in Galilee, a royal official’s belief is rewarded when Jesus heals his dying son.

John Chapter 4 Bible Study Questions and Answers

1. What does the meeting between Jesus and the Samaritan woman teach us about overcoming social and cultural differences in our lives?
Answer: This meeting shows that Jesus does not adhere to social and cultural differences. As Christians, we should follow his example by reaching out to others regardless of social or cultural differences, fostering inclusivity and compassion.

2. How can we apply the concept of “living water” in our daily spiritual practices?
Answer: “Living water” symbolises the eternal life and fulfilment that Jesus offers. By regularly praying, reading the bible, and looking for the Holy Spirit’s guidance in our lives, we can experience this spiritual “water” in our everyday lives.

3. What does Jesus’ teaching about worshipping in spirit and truth mean?
Answer: Worshipping in spirit and truth means focusing on real, heartfelt worship rather than just doing traditions. Christians today can apply this by making sure their worship is real and based in a personal relationship with God, rather than just traditional practices.

4. How can we find purpose from Jesus’ teaching that his “food” is to do God’s will?
Answer: Jesus found satisfaction in doing God’s purpose. Similarly, we can find strength and purpose by focusing on God’s work, knowing that serving Him brings true fulfilment and spiritual satisfaction.

5. In what ways can we demonstrate belief similar to the officer who trusted Jesus’ word about his son’s healing?
Answer: The officer believed Jesus’ words without any immediate evidence. We can show similar faith by believing in God’s promises and guidance even when we do not see immediate results, knowing that God’s timing and ways are perfect.

John Chapter 4 Explained

This chapter begins with Jesus’ decision to leave Judea for Galilee to avoid increasing attention from the Pharisees. His journey takes him through Samaria, where there was cultural and religious conflicts between Jews and Samaritans.

At Jacob’s well, Jesus’ meeting with the Samaritan woman breaks several cultural barriers. Firstly, Jews typically did not hang out with Samaritans, and secondly, teachers didn’t talk to women about their study of scriptures. Jesus’ request for water starts a conversation that reveals His mission to offer salvation to everyone in the world. His mention of “living water” goes beyond the physical need and points to spiritual satisfaction, symbolising the eternal life and satisfaction found in Him.

The conversation between Jesus and the woman also reveals her personal history, showing Jesus’ knowledge and care. Jesus invites her to acknowledge her need for spiritual rebirth by discussing her past. This leads her to see Jesus as a prophet and to a deeper discussion about real worship. Jesus declares that true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, shifting focus from physical locations to the sincerity and authenticity of worship.

The woman’s transformation is immediate. She leaves her water jar, possibly representing a departure from her old life, and becomes tells her community about Jesus, who “told me everything I ever did”. This leads many Samaritans to believe in him, showing the power of personal stories in teaching the Gospel.

Meanwhile, Jesus’ conversation with His disciples introduces the illustration of the spiritual harvest. He teaches that the fields are ready for harvest, urging His disciples to recognise the urgency and opportunity for evangelism. This reinforces the idea that Jesus’ mission is to gather believers, a task that involves both sowing and reaping by different workers in God’s kingdom.

The chapter finishes with a story about a royal officer from Capernaum who asks for Jesus’ help for his dying son. Despite Jesus’ initial words about people needing signs and wonders to believe, the officer’s faith is firm. Jesus heals the boy from a distance, showing His authority and the power of faith. This miracle not only heals the boy but also leads the officer and his family to believe in Jesus, showing the effects of belief and divine help.

To read the next chapters, you might like to follow or subscribe to this blog!

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Continue exploring John 4

If you’d like to read John xx in other translations, here are a few BibleHub links:
For a translation that aims to be word-for-word, try John 4 in the English Standard Version.
For a translation that aims to be more thought-for-thought, try John 4 in the New International Version.
For a translation that aims to communicate the overall meaning, try John 4 in the Contemporary English Version.

If you prefer to read the Bible in a hard-copy format, here are cheaper versions from Amazon:
[These are Amazon affiliate links which support the production of this blog]
For a translation that aims to be word-for-word, ESV Economy Bible
For a translation that aims to be more thought-for-thought, NIV, Economy Bible, Paperback: Accurate. Readable. Clear.
For a translation that aims to communicate the overall meaning, Holy Bible: Contemporary English Version

If you’d like to explore John in more depth, here are two commentaries I would recommend:
[These are Amazon affiliate links which support the production of this blog]
Easy to access commentaries that include life applications:
The NIV Application Commentary: John
Mark (The Story of God Bible Commentary)
For a commentary that goes into more depth:
The Gospel of John (The New International Commentary on the New Testament)

There was a Pharisee man named Nicodemus who was a Jewish leader.

Nicodemus came to Jesus one night and said, “Teacher, we know you’re a teacher from God because no one can do these miracles unless God is with him.”

Jesus replied, “I’m honestly telling you that unless someone is born from above, they can’t see God’s kingdom.”

“How can a person be reborn as an old man?” Nicodemus asked. “He can’t enter his mum’s womb again and be reborn.”

“I’m honestly telling you,” Jesus answered, “that unless someone is born of water and spirit, he can’t enter God’s kingdom. The body gives birth to the body, and the Spirit gives birth to spirit. Don’t be amazed because I said, ‘It’s required that you be born again’. The wind blows where it wants and you can hear it, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it’s going. Just like anyone born of the Spirit.”

“How can this be true?” Nicodemus asked.

Jesus said, “You don’t understand this as a teacher of Israel? Honestly, we are telling you what we know and testify what we have seen and you still don’t accept what we say. If I tell you about things regarding the world and you don’t believe it, how will you believe when I tell you about heavenly things? No one has gone up to heaven except for those who came down from heaven, such as the Son of Man. Just like Moses lifted a snake in the wilderness, it is required that the Son of Man be lifted so that everyone who trusts in him will have life that never ends, because God loves the world. Therefore, God gave his only Son so everyone who trusts in Jesus will not be destroyed but have everlasting life. This is because God didn’t send his Son to the world to judge the world but to save the world.

Whoever believes in Jesus is not judged, but whoever doesn’t believe is judged because they don’t believe in the name of God’s only son.

This is the judgement: the light has come to the world and people cared for the darkness more than the light, because they did evil things. Everyone who does evil things hates the light and doesn’t come to the light as his behaviours will be made clear, but whoever practices the truth comes to the light and their behaviours are made clear because they are performed in God.”

Jesus and his disciples then went into Judean land where Jesus stayed and baptised people.

Before John had been thrown into prison, John was also baptising at Aenon, near Salim, because that is where there was a lot of water. People were coming and being baptised.

There was an argument between John’s disciples and a Jew regarding ceremonial cleaning.

The disciples came to John and said, “Teacher, the person that was with you on the other side of the Jordan river, who you were witnessing about, is baptising and everyone is going to him.”

John replied, “A person can’t receive anything unless it is given to him from heaven. You tell others that I said, ‘I’m not the Christ but I’m sent before the Christ.’ The groom marries the bride. The groom’s friends, who stand and hear him, celebrate with joy for the groom’s voice. I am full of joy. That person needs to increase and I need to decrease. The one who comes from above is above everything. The one who is from the world is from the world and talks about worldly things. The one who comes from heaven is above everything. He testifies about what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts what he says. The one who accepts what he says confirms that God is truthful. The one who God sent speaks God’s words because he God gives the Spirit without limit. The Father loves the Son and has given everything into his hands. The one who trusts in the Son has everlasting life, but whoever disobeys the Son will not experience life. God’s displeasure will stay on them.

John Chapter 3 Summary

Jesus teaches Nicodemus, a Jewish leader, about the importance of being born again through water and the Spirit to see and enter God’s kingdom. Jesus compares the Spirit to the wind, unseen but powerful, and highlights the importance of belief in Him for eternal life, referencing God’s love in sending His Son not to judge but to save the world. Those who believe in Jesus are not judged, but those who reject Him face judgment because they prefer darkness over light.

Jesus then goes to Judea with His disciples to baptise, near where John the Baptist was also continued baptising. John’s disciples are concerned about Jesus’ growing following. John responds by rejoicing in Jesus’ success and acknowledging that his role was to prepare the way for Christ. John confirms Jesus’ mission, sharing that belief in Jesus brings eternal life, while rejection brings God’s displeasure.

John Chapter 3 Bible Study Questions and Answers

1. Why did Nicodemus approach Jesus at night, and what does this tell us about his character and his quest for truth?
Answer: Nicodemus approached Jesus at night possibly because he wanted a private conversation. This shows his genuine curiosity and desire to understand Jesus’ teachings despite potential risks to his reputation.

2. What does it mean to be ‘born again’ in the context of Christian living, and how can this concept be applied to one’s daily life?
Answer: Being ‘born again’ means experiencing a spiritual rebirth through faith in Jesus Christ and having he Holy Spirit. In daily life, this means living in a way that reflects spiritual transformation, prioritising God’s will, and showing Christ-like love and compassion to others.

3. How can Jesus’ teaching on light and darkness influence our actions and choices as Christians?
Answer: Jesus’ teaching encourages us to live clearly and truthfully, embracing the light by doing good works and avoiding evil. It challenges us to not sin and be honest about our actions, seeking to show God’s light in our lives.

4. What can we learn from John the Baptist’s attitude towards Jesus’ growing ministry?
Answer: John the Baptist’s joy in Jesus’ success teach us the importance of recognising our roles in God’s plan, supporting and celebrating other people’s successes in ministry, and prioritising Christ’s glory over our own personal ambitions.

5. How does this chapter teach the main points of Jesus’ good news, and how should it shape our understanding of God’s love and our response to it?
Answer: John 3 highlights God’s incredible love in sacrificing His only Son to save us. It should shape our understanding of God’s unconditional love and inspire us to respond with trust, thankfulness, and a commitment and desire to share this message with others.

John Chapter 3 Explained

John 3 is a pivotal chapter in the New Testament, providing insights into Jesus’ teachings on rebirth, belief, and salvation. Nicodemus, a Pharisee leader, contacts Jesus at night, possibly due to fear of judgement from his peers. His conversation with Jesus reveals his genuine curiosity and respect for Jesus as a God-inspired teacher. However, Nicodemus struggles to understand Jesus’ teaching of being ‘born again,’ and asks how one can re-enter their mother’s womb.

Jesus clarifies that being ‘born again’ involves a spiritual rebirth, not a physical one. This rebirth is achieved through water and the Spirit, referring to baptism and the transformative work of the Holy Spirit. Jesus teaches that the Spirit is like the wind, invisible yet powerful and life-changing. This concept challenges Nicodemus, reflecting the broader challenge many face in understanding these truths.

Jesus further explains that understanding earthly things is foundational to understanding heavenly matters. He gives the illustration of Moses lifting the snake in the wilderness to explain His own coming death. Just as those who looked at the bronze snake were healed, people who believe in Jesus will have eternal life. This leads to the famous teaching of the Jesus’ core message: God’s incredible love for the world’s people resulted in God giving His only Son to offer eternal life to all who believe.

John the Baptist continues his baptism ministry even as Jesus gains more followers. John’s disciples are concerned over Jesus’ growing popularity, but John responds with joy. He tells the disciples that his role is to prepare the way for Jesus, comparing himself to a friend rejoicing at the groom’s marriage. John’s statement, “He must increase, but I must decrease,” shows his understanding of his mission and selfless attitude.

John concludes by confirming Jesus’ origin and ultimate authority. He contrasts earthly and heavenly views, teaching that Jesus, who comes from above, is discussing what He has seen and heard from God. While many people reject what Jesus says, people who accept it, accept God’s truthfulness. John says everyone has an important choice to make: believe in Jesus, which leads to eternal life, or reject Jesus, which leads to remaining under God’s displeasure.

To read the next chapters, you might like to follow or subscribe to this blog!

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Continue exploring John 3

If you’d like to read John xx in other translations, here are a few BibleHub links:
For a translation that aims to be word-for-word, try John 3 in the English Standard Version.
For a translation that aims to be more thought-for-thought, try John 3 in the New International Version.
For a translation that aims to communicate the overall meaning, try John 3 in the Contemporary English Version.

If you prefer to read the Bible in a hard-copy format, here are cheaper versions from Amazon:
[These are Amazon affiliate links which support the production of this blog]
For a translation that aims to be word-for-word, ESV Economy Bible
For a translation that aims to be more thought-for-thought, NIV, Economy Bible, Paperback: Accurate. Readable. Clear.
For a translation that aims to communicate the overall meaning, Holy Bible: Contemporary English Version

If you’d like to explore John in more depth, here are two commentaries I would recommend:
[These are Amazon affiliate links which support the production of this blog]
Easy to access commentaries that include life applications:
The NIV Application Commentary: John
Mark (The Story of God Bible Commentary)
For a commentary that goes into more depth:
The Gospel of John (The New International Commentary on the New Testament)

The next day, there was a wedding in Cana, Galilee. Jesus’ mum, Jesus and his disciples were all there.

The wine was finished, and Jesus’ mum said to him, “They’re out of wine!”

Jesus replied, “What does this have to do with me, ma’am? My time hasn’t arrived.”

His mum said to the servants, “Do what he tells you to do.”

Six stone water jars were there for the Jew’s ceremonial cleaning. Each jar held about 80 or 120 litres.

Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” So the servants filled them to the top.

Jesus then instructed, “Take some out and give it to the party planner.” So they did.

The party planner tasted the water that had changed to wine. He didn’t know where it came from, but the servants did.

The party planner went to the groom and said, “People usually serve the good wine first and then the worse wine when they are drunk. You kept the good wine until now.”

This was the first miracle Jesus did at Cana, Galilee. It showed his glory, and his disciples trusted him.

Jesus then went down to Capernaum with his mum, brothers and disciples where they stayed for several days.

The Jews’ Passover was happening soon, so Jesus then went up to Jerusalem.

In the temple, Jesus found people selling cows, sheep and doves and found money exchangers sitting around. He made a rope whip and sent them out of the temple with the sheep and oxen. He  tipped money exchanger’s coins out and tipped over the tables.

He said to the dove sellers, “Take these away. Don’t make my Father’s house a market.”

Jesus’ disciples remembered the quote, ‘Passion for your house will consume me.’

The Jews said to Jesus, “Show us a miracle to prove you are allowed to do these things.”

Jesus replied, “Destroy the temple, and I will raise it up in three days.”

“This temple has taken 46 years so far to be built. How will you raise it up in three days?” the Jews asked.

But Jesus was talking about his body as the temple.

When Jesus rose from the dead, his followers remembered this conversation, and trusted what had been written and what Jesus had said.

While Jesus was in Jerusalem during the Passover festival, many people believed in him, watching the signs he was doing. Jesus, however, didn’t entrust himself to them because he knew them, and he didn’t need anyone to testify about people. He knew what was in people.

John Chapter 2 Summary

Jesus attends a wedding in Cana with his mum and disciples. When the wine runs out, his mum asks him to help. Jesus tells the servants to fill six large stone jars with water, which he turns into wine. Later, Jesus goes to Jerusalem for the Passover. At the temple, he finds sellers and money exchangers doing business. He drives them out with a whip, overturning their tables and declaring that the temple is his Father’s house, not a marketplace. When the Jews demand a sign showing his authority, Jesus speaks of destroying the temple and raising it in three days, referring to his death and resurrection. Many people trust in Jesus because of his miracles, but he remains cautious, understanding people’s nature and not entrusting himself to them.

John Chapter 2 Bible Study Questions and Answers

1. What does the miracle at the wedding teach us about Jesus’ relationship with his mum and his response to needs?
Answer: This event shows Jesus’ respect for his mum and his willingness to respond to human needs, even if it initially seems unnecessary in the grander scheme of things. It shows the importance of listening to and helping others.

2. How can we apply the lesson of turning water into wine in our daily lives?
Answer: This miracle shows Jesus’ power to change the ordinary into the extraordinary. It encourages us to trust in Jesus’ ability to bring change, even in seemingly hopeless situations.

3. What does Jesus’ clearing of the temple teach us about places of worship?
Answer: Jesus’ actions in the temple teach the importance of keeping worship spaces holy and free from business activities. It reminds us to respect and honour our places of worship, making sure they remain devoted to their purpose.

4. How can Jesus’ statement about destroying and raising the temple in three days enhance our understanding of his mission?
Answer: Jesus’ statement reveals the deeper meaning of his mission, which is his death and resurrection as the start of new faith. It calls us to think about the significance of Jesus’ sacrifice and resurrection in our own faith journey.

5. Why do you think Jesus did not entrust himself to the people who believed in him because of his miracles?
Answer: Jesus knew the nature of human belief and understood that faith based solely on miracles might not be deep or lasting. This teaches us to seek a deeper, more personal relationship with Jesus rather than relying only on signs and miracles for our faith.

John Chapter 2 Explained

John Chapter 2 begins with Jesus attending a wedding in Cana, Galilee. The event is an important moment in Jesus’ ministry because it’s his first recorded miracle. When the wine runs out, Jesus’ mum, Mary, brings the issue to his attention, showing her trust in his divine capabilities. Jesus’ first response, “My time hasn’t arrived,” suggests there was a timetable for his public ministry, yet he still responds to the immediate need by turning water into wine. This act shows his care and the importance of honouring his mum’s request. The miracle not only saves the wedding celebration but also reveals Jesus’ divine glory, further helping his disciples to trust in him.

The chapter then shifts to Jerusalem, where Jesus attends the Passover festival. Upon entering the temple, he encounters a scene of business where people were selling animals for sacrifices and money exchangers were conducting business. This sight provoked Jesus to take action. He makes a whip and chases out the sellers and animals, overturns the tables of the money changers, and tells them off for turning his Father’s house into a marketplace. This clearing of the temple shows Jesus’ passion for keeping worship pure, and his authority over the temple. It serves as a call to respect and keep the purity of places dedicated to God.

When the Jews challenge Jesus, demanding a sign to prove he was allowed to chase them out, he vaguely replies, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it up in three days.” This confuses the Jews, who take it literally, not understanding that Jesus is talking about his body. His prophecy refers to his death and resurrection. This conversation comes before the sacrifice Jesus would make and his victory over death, a truth his disciples only fully understand after his resurrection.

Throughout the Passover in Jerusalem, many people see Jesus’ miracles and believe in him. However, Jesus does not fully entrust himself to them, knowing that trust based just on signs isn’t very deep. He understands the complexities and often shallowness of human belief. This highlights Jesus’ sensitivity and the need for a deeper, more real faith that goes beyond seeing miracles to believe.

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Continue exploring John 2

If you’d like to read John xx in other translations, here are a few BibleHub links:
For a translation that aims to be word-for-word, try John 2 in the English Standard Version.
For a translation that aims to be more thought-for-thought, try John 2 in the New International Version.
For a translation that aims to communicate the overall meaning, try John 2 in the Contemporary English Version.

If you prefer to read the Bible in a hard-copy format, here are cheaper versions from Amazon:
[These are Amazon affiliate links which support the production of this blog]
For a translation that aims to be word-for-word, ESV Economy Bible
For a translation that aims to be more thought-for-thought, NIV, Economy Bible, Paperback: Accurate. Readable. Clear.
For a translation that aims to communicate the overall meaning, Holy Bible: Contemporary English Version

If you’d like to explore John in more depth, here are two commentaries I would recommend:
[These are Amazon affiliate links which support the production of this blog]
Easy to access commentaries that include life applications:
The NIV Application Commentary: John
Mark (The Story of God Bible Commentary)
For a commentary that goes into more depth:
The Gospel of John (The New International Commentary on the New Testament)