Archive for November 2021

Daniel 10-12, Job 22, John 13:31-38, Jude 17-25 John 13:31-38: At this most profound turn of events—as Jesus turns his thoughts and attention decisively to the cross—he utters words that must have been deeply surprising at the time, and still a surprise today. “Now is the Son of man glorified” (13:31). Really? As he is betrayed, the Son…

Daniel 9, Job 21:22-34, John 13:18-30, Jude 8-16 John 13:18-30: Strange thought. Even in the betrayal of Jesus, the Scriptures are being fulfilled. We tend to think that God has a plan for the good things in our lives, but what about the terrible things? Does God still reach to control those events that threaten us, terrify us,…

Daniel 7-8, Job 23:1-21, John 13:12-17, Jude 1-7 John 13:12-17: Jesus now explains the reason for the foot washing. At the root of it is the importance of them correcting their misunderstanding about his Lordship, his rule, and the nature of the authority that he wields. He is the Lord, and yet his Lordship is not in diametric…

Daniel 5-6, Job 20, John 13:1-11, 3 John 1-14 John 13:1-11: The washing of the disciples’ feet by Jesus has taken on various kinds of meanings in popular literature and in the common imagination. But what does it mean? What was it originally intended to convey? The first thing to notice is that nowhere does Jesus institute this…

Daniel 3-4, Job 19, John 12:37-50, 2 John 1-13 John 12:37-50: John, the author of the Gospel, now takes a step back to reflect theologically on what is happening in the life and ministry of Jesus. It is all fulfilling what Isaiah long ago, under God’s inspiration, predicted. They did not believe in Jesus in fulfillment of what…

Daniel 1-2, Job 18, John 12:20-36, 1 John 5:13-21   John 12:20-36: Now at this great feast where Jesus was, there is a group of Greeks (12:20)—devout men and women who have come up to Jerusalem for the religious festival. They approach Philip and ask him to give them an audience with Jesus, to see him and meet…

Ezekiel 48, Job 17,  John 12:12-19, 1 John 5:6-12   John 12:12-19: Jesus is now greeted not just with pleasure, but with adulation, praise, and indeed worship. The extent of this fulfillment of Old Testament promises is not grasped at the time, but later the disciples realized all that had been spoken of Jesus was being fulfilled…

Ezekiel 45-47, Job 16, John 12:1-11, 1 John 5:1-5   John 12:1-11: What a sweet and beautiful reunion meal this must have been. Jesus is with his friends, Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. And there is Lazarus reclining at the table with them, back from the dead, good as new. Mary then took a pound of pure nard, a…

Ezekiel 42-44, Job 15:17-35, John 11:45-57, 1 John 4:7-21 John 11:45-57: To dispel again any misunderstanding that John is somehow anti-Semitic (a strange idea given that John himself was a Jew), note that John is as careful to record the Jewish people who believed in Jesus as much as those who did not. Many Jews now “believed in…

Ezekiel 40-41, Job 15:1-16, John 11:38-44, 1 John 4:1-6   John 11:38-44: The emotion that Jesus feels at death is not yet ended. He is “deeply moved” again. Mourning comes in waves—sometimes wave after wave after wave. Even the strongest Christian can be hit by such “deep emotions,” for even Jesus experienced them. Take comfort, you who mourn:…