Month: October 2019

October 31, 2019

They will have eternal life (Jn 10:28-10:28)

“I will give them

Eternal life!

They will never perish!

No one will snatch them

Out of my hand!”

κἀγὼ δίδωμι αὐτοῖς ζωὴν αἰώνιον, καὶ οὐ μὴ ἀπόλωνται εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, καὶ οὐχ ἁρπάσει τις αὐτὰ ἐκ τῆς χειρός μου.

John uniquely indicated that Jesus said that he would give them (κἀγὼ δίδωμι αὐτοῖς) eternal unending life (ζωὴν αἰώνιον), so that they would never perish (καὶ οὐ μὴ ἀπόλωνται εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα).  No one would ever be able to snatch or seize them (καὶ οὐχ ἁρπάσει τις αὐτὰ) out of his hand (ἐκ τῆς χειρός μου).  As the sheep of Jesus believed in him, he was going to give them eternal life, one of the strongest statements about the afterlife in the gospels.  No one would be able to change that.  They would be protected, just as Yahweh, the Father, had protected the Israelites from their enemies. They were in the loving hands of Jesus.  Have you ever tried to take something out of another person’s hands?

October 31, 2019

My sheep follow me (Jn 10:27-10:27)

“My sheep

Hear my voice.

I know them!

They follow me!”

τὰ πρόβατα τὰ ἐμὰ τῆς φωνῆς μου ἀκούουσιν, κἀγὼ γινώσκω αὐτά, καὶ ἀκολουθοῦσίν μοι,

John uniquely indicated that Jesus said that his sheep, the sheep who belonged to him (τὰ πρόβατα τὰ ἐμὰ), heard (ἀκούουσιν) his voice (τῆς φωνῆς μου).  He knew them (κἀγὼ γινώσκω αὐτά) and they followed him (καὶ ἀκολουθοῦσίν μοι).  Jesus continued with this metaphor about the sheep.  He said that his sheep knew his voice so that they followed him.  Jesus knew who they were.  Obviously, this non-believing group of Jewish people were not his sheep and did not follow him.  Are you willing to follow people not in your group?

October 31, 2019

You are not part of the flock (Jn 10:26-10:26)

“But you do not believe!

Because you do not belong

To my sheep.”

ἀλλὰ ὑμεῖς οὐ πιστεύετε, ὅτι οὐκ ἐστὲ ἐκ τῶν προβάτων τῶν ἐμῶν.

John uniquely indicated that they did not believe Jesus (ἀλλὰ ὑμεῖς οὐ πιστεύετε) because they did not belong to his sheep (ὅτι οὐκ ἐστὲ ἐκ τῶν προβάτων τῶν ἐμῶν).  Pure and simple.  They did not believe in Jesus because they were not part of his flock of sheep.  They were the non-believers, not his sheep.  Do you belong to a group with a negative attitude?

October 31, 2019

Jesus said that he had told them already (Jn 10:25-10:25)

“Jesus answered them.

‘I told you!

You do not believe!

The works that I do

In my Father’s name

Testify to me.’”

ἀπεκρίθη αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς Εἶπον ὑμῖν, καὶ οὐ πιστεύετε· τὰ ἔργα ἃ ἐγὼ ποιῶ ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ Πατρός μου, ταῦτα μαρτυρεῖ περὶ ἐμοῦ·

John uniquely indicated that Jesus (ὁ Ἰησοῦς) answered them (ἀπεκρίθη αὐτοῖς) that he had told them (Εἶπον ὑμῖν), but they did not believe him (καὶ οὐ πιστεύετε).  The works (τὰ ἔργα) that he did (ἃ ἐγὼ ποιῶ) in his Father’s name (ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ Πατρός μου) testify to him (ταῦτα μαρτυρεῖ περὶ ἐμοῦ).  Jesus responded by saying that he had already told them, but they did not believe him.  The very works that he done in his Father’s name should have been sufficient for them to believe that he was the Christ, the Messiah.  Do deeds speak louder than words?

October 31, 2019

Tell us if you are the Christ! (Jn 10:24-10:24)

“Thus,

The Jews

Gathered around Jesus.

They said to him.

‘How long

Will you keep us

In suspense?

If you are the Christ,

The Messiah,

Tell us plainly.’”

ἐκύκλωσαν οὖν αὐτὸν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι καὶ ἔλεγον αὐτῷ Ἕως πότε τὴν ψυχὴν ἡμῶν αἴρεις; εἰ σὺ εἶ ὁ Χριστός, εἰπὸν ἡμῖν παρρησίᾳ.

John uniquely indicated that this group of Jews (οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι) gathered around or surrounded Jesus (ἐκύκλωσαν οὖν αὐτὸν).  They asked him (καὶ ἔλεγον αὐτῷ) in a colloquial saying, until when would he raise up their soul (Ἕως πότε τὴν ψυχὴν ἡμῶν αἴρεις) or how long was he going to keep them in suspense.  If he was the Christ, (εἰ σὺ εἶ ὁ Χριστός) the Messiah, why would he not plainly or openly tell them (εἰπὸν ἡμῖν παρρησίᾳ).  This group of Jerusalem Jews wanted to know if Jesus claimed that he was Messiah.  They wanted a simple open and plain answer without equivocation to their question.  Do you always want simple answers?

October 30, 2019

Jesus was walking in the Temple portico (Jn 10:23-10:23)

“Jesus

Was walking

In the Temple,

In the portico

Of Solomon.”

καὶ περιεπάτει ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ ἐν τῇ στοᾷ τοῦ Σολομῶνος.

John uniquely said that Jesus (ὁ Ἰησοῦς) was walking (καὶ περιεπάτει) in the Temple (ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ), in the portico or porch (ἐν τῇ στοᾷ) of Solomon (τοῦ Σολομῶνος).  This was the colonnade on the eastern side of the Temple, obviously named after King Solomon (970-931 BCE), the original builder of the Temple.

October 30, 2019

The Dedication festival (Jn 10:22-10:22)

“At that time,

The festival

Of the Dedication

Took place

In Jerusalem.

It was winter.”

Ἐγένετο τότε τὰ ἐνκαίνια ἐν τοῖς Ἱεροσολύμοις· χειμὼν ἦν·

John uniquely said that at that time (Ἐγένετο τότε), the festival of the Dedication or renewal (ἐν τοῖς Ἱεροσολύμοις) took place in Jerusalem (ἐν τοῖς Ἱεροσολύμοις) in the winter time (χειμὼν ἦν).  What is this festival all about?  As far as we can tell this was Hanukkah, a winter eight-day festival celebrating the rededication of the Temple in 164 BCE after the uprising of Judas Maccabeus, on the twenty-fifth day of the month of Chislev.  The Temple had been desecrated by Antiochus IV Epiphanes (215-164 BCE) and re-consecrated as in 1 Maccabees, chapter 4:36-59, and 2 Maccabees, chapter 10:1-8.  Obviously, this newer festival took place in Jerusalem, the place of the Temple.  Do you celebrate the dedication of your place of worship?

October 30, 2019

Does a demon give sight? (Jn 10:21-10:21)

“Others said.

‘These are not the words

Of one who has a demon.

Can a demon

Open the eyes

Of the blind?’”

ἄλλοι ἔλεγον Ταῦτα τὰ ῥήματα οὐκ ἔστιν δαιμονιζομένου· μὴ δαιμόνιον δύναται τυφλῶν ὀφθαλμοὺς ἀνοῖξαι;

John uniquely indicated that there were others who disagreed.  They said (ἄλλοι ἔλεγον) that these were not the words (Ταῦτα τὰ ῥήματα οὐκ ἔστιν) of a demon possessed man (δαιμονιζομένου).  How could a demon (μὴ δαιμόνιον δύναται) open the eyes of a blind person (τυφλῶν ὀφθαλμοὺς ἀνοῖξαι)?  John showed an example of this dissension among the Jewish listeners.  Some thought that he was possessed by a devil, but others like here thought that he could not be possessed by a devil, because he brought sight to people.  Jesus was not universally accepted or rejected.  There was a mixed reaction to Jesus.  What is your opinion about Jesus?

October 30, 2019

Why listen to Jesus? (Jn 10:20-10:20)

“Many of them said.

‘He has a demon.

He is out of his mind.

Why listen to him?’”

ἔλεγον δὲ πολλοὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν Δαιμόνιον ἔχει καὶ μαίνεται· τί αὐτοῦ ἀκούετε;

John uniquely indicated that many of the listeners of Jesus (δὲ πολλοὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν) said (ἔλεγον) that he had a demon (Δαιμόνιον ἔχει).  He had to be out of his mind, insane, or mad (καὶ μαίνεται).  Why should they listen to him (τί αὐτοῦ ἀκούετε)?  Some or many of the people who had been listening to Jesus seemed to believe that perhaps Jesus was possessed with a devil or was plain insane.  Why would they want to listen to a crazy man?  Do you think that some of Jesus’s statements are a little wild and crazy?

October 30, 2019

The Jews were divided (Jn 10:19-10:19)

“Again,

The Jews

Were divided

Because of these words.”

Σχίσμα πάλιν ἐγένετο ἐν τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις διὰ τοὺς λόγους τούτους.

John uniquely indicated, just as he had in chapter 7:43 and 9:16, that there was a division or schism again (Σχίσμα πάλιν ἐγένετο) among those Jews (ἐν τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις) listening to his words (διὰ τοὺς λόγους τούτους).  Not everyone was opposed to Jesus or in favor of him.  There was a mixed reaction to Jesus among his Jewish listeners.  Some looked on him favorably, while others did not.  Do you get a mixed reaction from people?