Gospel Of John
1:13 – Jesus' entry into the world and our second birth are parallel in John's mind – those who received Christ were supernaturally born-again as the children of God.
1:14 – As the glory of the Lord dwelt in the tabernacle – so Christ dwelt amongst us – no disguise but rather in the real flesh, the raw material of humanity.
1:14 – Christ's appearance is in moral terms (grace and truth) not philosophical/metaphysical etc. terms. Through him we have all received grace upon grace – not just concept upon concept upon concept.
1:26 – Christ amongst us – whom we don't know – things haven't changed that much for many of us.
1:50 – Greater things – Christ between man and God – Nathaniel shall see this as a present fact of his life (through faith) and on the last day. [Note: I have come to see also that the "greater work" can be interpreted as greater because it will be done across cultural boundaries ...because these men, the "Apostles" or "sent ones" were being trained in their home culture for the specific task of intentionally going over the cultural wall into other cultures with "salt light and leaven" to bless other cultures, rather than to have people shift from their home cultures into the Jewish culture. Cross-cultural work of any type is always more difficult, and hence "greater" than doing the same thing in one's own home culture.]
2: 24-5 – Miracle-based faith is real but inadequate – and Christ knew it (regarding confiding himself).
4:37-8 – Traditionally the Greek proverb reflected a bitter truth (I work and another caches in!). Here he says it is a true phenomena but in our service to God we all rejoice together, sower and reaper, all workers in one larger endeavour. It was true of Christ that day, the disciples later, and the church at the time of the death of the disciples (when this book was written), and now.
5:11 – Sick 38 years. Gets healed and all he does when someone remarks about the Sabbath part is give an excuse: “He told me to” vs: Chapter 9:17 “He is a prophet!” from a man blind from birth. What does this say about their responses to help?
5:24-5 – And now is! – Christ's quickening of the spiritualy dead is happening already and these have passed from death to life and the “judgment” is irrelevant to them – it's over!
6:37 and 44 – God's activity in people responding to Christ – another statement of it – and so true. It is so “outrageous” that only God's leading can possibly bring us to Christ. He (the author) is likely relating this incident from his own experience – it sounds firsthand.
6:57 – Eats me – he himself said, “My food is to do the father’s will”– gives us a clue as to his meaning. As does 5:21 – the son gives life to whom he will.
6:61-2 – What do we take offense at? As people with “the eyes of faith”, to whom God has shown the son – wait till you see the “cross” part. Where the offense is greatest, the resolution is found. God carries us over this offense which we can't jump – and that is as it should be.
7:4 – On making plans for self-advancement. Christ didn't – obedient to God's will – fulfilling it.
7:8 – On independence of action – stubborn people like myself like texts like this because we are a lot that way – but do this sort of thing in obedience to our own will rather than God’s – not that much better – note Christ.
7:17 – Sincerity in obeying God results in perception as to whether Christ's teaching is from that source or not.
7:18 – Christ attests to his source by giving the credit to God – a person intent on his/her own ends credits himself/herself.
7:24 – Superficial use of the law results in death not life and leads to wrong action – they wanted to kill Jesus.
7:37-8 – Christ incarnate in his church – the source of life flows through his men – the new Jerusalem.
7:43 – God's creative divisions amongst people – stalling action until his time is right. God works through all things for the person who is in a faith relationship with him – for good.
7:52 – A write-off because he does not fit their preset ideas vs. hear the man and be guided by the Spirit – they judge according to the flesh.
8:12 – Light – act not essence – our light shedding is to be illuminating also vs. just seeing if we glow.
9:4 – Time limit on the church's work (“me”) just as in an individual's life – here, Christ's. We don't usually act in that way.
10:7 and 9 (9:35f) – “Door ” and “door” – access to the sheep and access of the sheet to eternal life – the centrality of Christ in salvation – and then there's our “popular notions of the pastoral counselling”. Note Christ did not approach the man in 9:35 and say non-directively, "You got thrown out, how do you feel about that?" but rather, "Do you believe in the son of man?" – where's the real need, social readjustment, or the vital relationship with God through Christ – the son of man, the door?
10:27-30 – Eternal life – a relationship of security under authority. Interesting!
11:5 – Loved... stayed two days more – God's schedule not man's – life flows from God – stay with God and real ministry will happen.
11: 9 – While opportunity lasts, the will and work of God must be done – appropriate especially here for him.
12:26 – on staying close to Jesus – cf. on Jesus leaving town (the Gethsemane problem).
14:7 – 100% obedience to the father – no self initiated projects or sayings and hence we know and see the Father – how about us!? Do people see the Father in us because we simply obey?
14:12 – Greater works – not smashing miracles but drawing/attracting acts of love, bringing men to God – revealing more clearly to men God's objective of unifying all in relation to him – even more clearly than Christ did in his three short years – because he is moving on.
14:21 – Love Christ by obeying his commandments.
14:21-4 – Revelation of Christ to those who obey his commandments – only context where that mutual understanding is possible. A bit more of an insight into it all.
15:8ff – The Spirit brings the acts of God in “Project Christ” to bear on the conscience of the world – through preaching not directly “for the world does not and cannot receive the son” etc.
16:23 – Spirit leads into all truth so we don't have to ask questions but rather request in Christ's name – and on the last day there will be no need for questions. Cf. plain talk : 25 also.
16:31 – Do you now believe? – I know better – and give you the aid of forewarning you about the breaking of that confidence that you must go through, that ultimately you might have peace – in me.
17:6 – “I have shown the character and nature (name) of you, God, to these people” – and we baptize into the character and nature of God (into the name – eis ton nomon)!
17:18 – “Transfer of allegiance from the world to Christ” is the purpose of the mission.
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