Verses:
John 8 : 48 - 59
My thoughts about the verses:
The first thing that must be understood when looking at this passage is the relationship between the average Jewish person and the Samaritan. The Samaritan's were Jewish individuals from the North. They had a sibling rivalry with the Jewish individuals in the south. There were always these feeling by both sides that they were better than the other. At the time of this story Jesus is in the southern area of Israel and the leaders were mocking him by saying he was no better than a Samaritan.
It is quite ironic that Jesus did a lot of things that show that the Samaritan's were loyal to God. Jesus was thought to be a heretic because he was willing to talk to the Samaritan's and even used them in his parables. Jesus did not think that they were filled with demons or less important. The Samaritan's end up being a people that Jesus was able to go to and teach the word because of his positivity toward them.
The next part of the story that you have to understand is the importance of Abraham to Israel. Abraham is the father of the entire nation. The Jewish nation places Abraham on a very high pedestal and using their oral history have been able to follow their lineage back to Abraham. The problem was is that Abraham had been dead for a long time. Jesus was stating that he was there with Abraham in the beginning. This infuriates the leaders how could this young person even dare to say that he knew Abraham. This proved he was a liar, at least in their eye.
What they missed is that Jesus was with Abraham. That Jesus was the human presence of God. The only way for man to be saved from their own falls into sin there must have been a sacrifice. That sacrifice had to be through the body and blood of Jesus who had not committed any sin. Think about the story with Abraham in which he takes his beloved son Isaac to the mount to be sacrificed. God was testing the faith of Abraham. When he gets to the mount he provides a worthy sacrifice. Jesus death was a fulfillment of that early sacrifice of the ram to finish the new covenant.
The problem was at this moment and time it was not the time for the sacrifice. Therefore even though they thought him a liar he was innocent and God hid him in the crowd. Jesus was able to blend in as the crowd picked up stones and was able to leave the temple. For it was not through stones that he was to die. Yet, the stone is important because a larger one was used to block the body of Jesus which is the new covenant. When that stone is rolled the purification is complete.
Prayer:
Dear God we thank you for everything that you have done for us. Thank you for allowing Jesus to come to take our place in death. Thank you for the living bread and the cleansing blood. Help us fully understand the gift that has been given. Help us share it with others. We ask that you keep us from hiding when we need to talk. We also ask for protection and comfort during our hard times. In your holy name we pray. Amen
Questions:
Do you understand the connection with Abraham and Jesus? Do you accept that Christ was able to be there then and present with us now. Are you helping others understand the sacrifice? Are you opening up your arms to help others that need to have Christ in their life?
My thoughts about the verses:
The first thing that must be understood when looking at this passage is the relationship between the average Jewish person and the Samaritan. The Samaritan's were Jewish individuals from the North. They had a sibling rivalry with the Jewish individuals in the south. There were always these feeling by both sides that they were better than the other. At the time of this story Jesus is in the southern area of Israel and the leaders were mocking him by saying he was no better than a Samaritan.
It is quite ironic that Jesus did a lot of things that show that the Samaritan's were loyal to God. Jesus was thought to be a heretic because he was willing to talk to the Samaritan's and even used them in his parables. Jesus did not think that they were filled with demons or less important. The Samaritan's end up being a people that Jesus was able to go to and teach the word because of his positivity toward them.
The next part of the story that you have to understand is the importance of Abraham to Israel. Abraham is the father of the entire nation. The Jewish nation places Abraham on a very high pedestal and using their oral history have been able to follow their lineage back to Abraham. The problem was is that Abraham had been dead for a long time. Jesus was stating that he was there with Abraham in the beginning. This infuriates the leaders how could this young person even dare to say that he knew Abraham. This proved he was a liar, at least in their eye.
What they missed is that Jesus was with Abraham. That Jesus was the human presence of God. The only way for man to be saved from their own falls into sin there must have been a sacrifice. That sacrifice had to be through the body and blood of Jesus who had not committed any sin. Think about the story with Abraham in which he takes his beloved son Isaac to the mount to be sacrificed. God was testing the faith of Abraham. When he gets to the mount he provides a worthy sacrifice. Jesus death was a fulfillment of that early sacrifice of the ram to finish the new covenant.
The problem was at this moment and time it was not the time for the sacrifice. Therefore even though they thought him a liar he was innocent and God hid him in the crowd. Jesus was able to blend in as the crowd picked up stones and was able to leave the temple. For it was not through stones that he was to die. Yet, the stone is important because a larger one was used to block the body of Jesus which is the new covenant. When that stone is rolled the purification is complete.
Prayer:
Dear God we thank you for everything that you have done for us. Thank you for allowing Jesus to come to take our place in death. Thank you for the living bread and the cleansing blood. Help us fully understand the gift that has been given. Help us share it with others. We ask that you keep us from hiding when we need to talk. We also ask for protection and comfort during our hard times. In your holy name we pray. Amen
Questions:
Do you understand the connection with Abraham and Jesus? Do you accept that Christ was able to be there then and present with us now. Are you helping others understand the sacrifice? Are you opening up your arms to help others that need to have Christ in their life?
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