03/18/2024 – Gospel of John fellowship – Chapter 2 // ending on “the thief on the cross” and conversion prayer.
Once again, our suggested questions to explore *:
* Submit your own either for 1) all going forward lessons; or, 2) Specific shares with the group:
- What does the text reveal about God’s character? #1
- How has this reading generated prayer for you and/or us? #2
- What themes stand out to you in this bible study? #3
- How does our reading fit into the bigger picture (creation, the fall, restoration, etc.)? #4
- What verse(s) jumped out at you like never before? Is it explainable at this point? #5
- Do you have any questions you would like to put before the group as to how to interpret any particular verse(s) in our reading. Let scripture testify to scripture: Share with us where you sense contradiction between passages elsewhere in the Bible. #6
- What did you find convicting and inspiring at the same time? Share with us how the Spirit of God is working within you as a messenger, both within and outside of our fellowship group. #7
- Share with the group how our study is calling or confirming to you a new mission to glorify God in our times. #8
As an aid, I am attaching Matthew Henry’s commentary, first the concise version, then the complete version for Chapter two:
https://www.christianity.com/bible/commentary/matthew-henry-concise/john/2
https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/matthew-henry-complete/john/1.html
Both for the Matthew Henry and the Barclay commentaries, I would estimate the commentaries to be at least four times as long as the Biblical text, in words. On an educated guess, John Gill’s commentary would be much more lengthy than either of the other two, since John does a commentary over each and every verse in the Bible.
I am going to cover the first two major events by way of contrast, as Jesus reveals God’s character to us (Question #1) : Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Jesus Turns Water into Wine
The Cana wedding is Jesus’ first public miracle that we know about. Interesting, this comes soon after his forty days in the desert, hungry and thirsty as he confronts and is victorious over all the Devil can throw at Him. What a contrast into a festive wedding atmosphere with his disciples . As Barclay points out: “He was no severe , austere killjoy. He loved to share in the happy rejoicing of a wedding feast.” Let me share here Barclay’s concluding comments to this section, verses 1 through 11: Remember that John was writing seventy years after Jesus was crucified. For seventy years he had thought and meditated and remembered, until he saw meanings and significances that he had not seen at the time. When John told the story he was remembering what life with Jesus was like; and he said, ‘Wherever Jesus went and whenever he came into life it was like water turning into win.’ This story is John saying to us: ‘If you want the new exhilaration, become a follower of Jesus Christ, and there will come a change in your life which will be like water turning into wine.’ ” (pg. 105 – Barclay commentary)
Jesus Clears the Temple
Barclay points out that the Passover was the greatest of all Jewish feasts. It was a religious obligation for all Jews within 15 miles of Jerusalem. And Jews were scattered all over the world by this time. Barclay estimates that as many as two and a quarter million Jews poured into the Holy City to keep the Passover.
The money-changers were going far beyond the reasonable “half a shekel” outlined in the Talmud for “being a going concern” in business, to the point that people were paying many times over an average daily wage for the service. On top of it, Barclay notes: “But the law was that any animal offered in sacrifice must be perfect and unblemished… If a worshipper bought a victim (sacrifice) outside the Temple, it was to all intents and purposes certain that it would be rejected after examination. Again that might not have mattered much, but a pair of doves could cost as little as 4p outside the Temple, and as much as 75p inside. Here again was bare-faced extortion at the expense of poor and humble pilgrims, who were practically blackmailed into buying their victims from the Temple booths if they wished to sacrifice at all – once more a glaring social injustice aggravated by the fact that it was perpetrated in the name of pure religion.”
God is a God of justice, as well as a God of love, the two go hand in hand. I picture a pretty violent scene for anyone there in the immediate vicinity of the money changer tables as Jesus cleared them out. But going forward we have the 2nd coming, Jesus as the Rider o the White Horse, Revelation Chapter 19.
Finally, in 2: verses #23 through #25, we have a clear picture of Jesus’ omniscience. As Barclay notes: “The answer is that Jesus knew human nature only too well. He knew that there were many to whom he was only a nine-days’ wonder. He knew that there were many who were attracted only by the sensational things he did… if he had begun to talk to them about a cross and about carrying a cross, would have stared at him with blank incomprehension and left him on the spot.” We’ll soon get quite the contrast when he talks with the Samaritan woman at the well in Chapter four. But to the people in the woman’s town, Jesus proclaims in verse 48: “Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders,” Jesus told them, ” you will never believe.” This speaks to the theme in #4: “Creation ; Fall and Redemption”
We have to be “all in” for Jesus. (Check out: Matthew 25:26 ; Luke 9: 23-26 Galations 2:20, to name just a few.) We might ask: How can anyone do this? Answer: Only by the grace of God!: “Knock, and it shall be opened unto you!” The Holy Spirit saves, messengers don’t. But we have the privilege of coming alongside, looking at every fellow soul as a “future Christian”. sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ! So, why do you suppose Jesus’ command in the Great Commission to evangelize is a requirement if God knows who is going to be saved in advance?
If you haven’t yet given your life to Christ in prayer, do so now. The thief on the cross rebuked the other criminal that mocked Jesus: “Don’t you fear God since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” (see Luke 23: 39-43)
Or you can pray from your heart Psalm 51. Or, : “Lord, I admit I am a sinner. I need and want Your forgiveness. I accept Your death as the penalty for my sin, and recognize that Your mercy and grace is a gift You offer to me because of Your great love, not based on anything I have done. Cleanse me and make me Your child. By faith I receive You into my heart as the Son of God and as Savior and Lord of my life. From now on, help me live for You, with You in control.
In Your precious name, Amen
For current Christians, guide “near term future brothers and sisters” into this prayer, fulfilling our role as messengers…
Always connected by His grace and through prayer!
Soli Deo Gloria!