Podcast: Play in new window | Download

THE TEXT

Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. ¹⁴ And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers ^[a]doing business. ¹⁵ When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables. ¹⁶ And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!” ¹⁷ Then His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Your house ^[b]has eaten Me up.”

¹⁸ So the Jews answered and said to Him, “What sign do You show to us, since You do these things?”

¹⁹ Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

²⁰ Then the Jews said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?”

²¹ But He was speaking of the temple of His body. ²² Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this ^[c]to them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said.

²³ Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did. ²⁴ But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, ²⁵ and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man (John 2:13–25).

Read Full Article

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

THE TEXT

On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. ² Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. ³ And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.”

⁴ Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me?My hour has not yet come.”

⁵ His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”

⁶ Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece. ⁷ Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. ⁸ And He said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.” And they took it. ⁹ When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. ¹⁰ And he said to him, “Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!”

¹¹ This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and ^[a]manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.

¹² After this He went down to Capernaum, He, His mother, His brothers, and His disciples; and they did not stay there many days.

Read Full Article

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

The Text

John 1:29–41

Read Full Article

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

The Text

John 1:1-28

Background on John the Apostle

Personal, first-hand account, and yet at some distance from the events because he writes to correct false accounts that have been passed on. Called as a fisherman.

1-5 Creator

When John opens his Gospel, he introduces us to the Son as the Creator. These first few verses are packed full of references to Genesis 1 and are meant to reveal to us something critical about who Jesus is – he is our Creator. And we should understand that the act of creation is a revelation of divine authority. The act of creation uniquely belongs to God. And the fact that the Father created by means of the Son is a testimony to the full divinity of the Son.

6-13 John the Witness

John the Baptist, who was introduced to us at the end of Malachi, was sent as a witness to Jesus. He was sent before, so that he could stand and point at Jesus and declare just who he was. But here, John the Evangelist introduces us to a dilemma, namely that we can have someone sit and point clearly at an obvious and brilliantly lit up truth, and we can still not see it.

14-18 The Word Became Flesh

We cannot overcome our own spiritual blindness. We require the grace of a loving God who stoops and reveals himself to us. This is what the incarnation was, God revealing himself to a blind people by sending his Son in the flesh. And we behold his glory because he gives us eyes to see it.

19-26 John the Baptizer

So how do you open your eyes to this? It is worth noting that the one who came to prepare the way for the Son came with a baptism of repentance. You get ready for Jesus through repentance.

Read Full Article