December 6, 2015          John 12:1-8

Download discussion questions:  John 12_1-8 woman with perfume

After John’s prologue in chapter 1, the rest of the first eleven chapters cover most of the three-year ministry of Jesus.  The next nine chapters (12-20) cover about a week, followed by a closing (or denouement – I always liked that word) in chapter 21.

In what may be the pivotal event in the transition, the raising of Lazarus, John inserts a curious detail to identify the family involved:  “It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick” (John 11:2).  Continue reading →

November 29, 2015                 John, Chapters 1-11

Download discussion questions: John 1-11 Overview Verses
Download outline and comment: Smalley’s outline

The handout for the starting point of our discussion was a list of eleven excerpts, one from each of the first eleven chapters of the Gospel according to John.  The verses I selected were intended to be representative of each part of John’s story, and one of my suggestions was for each member of our group to select their own representative verses.  What segment (a verse or two) would you pick from each chapter to help you get an overview of John’s story? Continue reading →

November 29, 2015         John, Chapters 1-11

Download discussion questions: John 1-11 Overview Verses

Since we began our discussion group in February, we have covered approximately the first half of the Gospel according to John.  Most commentaries or other descriptions of the book John wrote suggest that the first eleven chapters (or twelve, depending on the writer) form a unit as the first part of the story John is telling.  The remainder of the book continues the story but with a shift in focus and in detail. Continue reading →

November 22, 2015                 John 11:45 – 12:2

Download discussion questions: John 11_45-12_2 back to Bethany
Download structural outline:  John 11_45-12_2 back to Bethany THEREFORE-SO-BUT

Lazarus is alive!  He was dead four days, and now Jesus has brought him back to life.  As one of our group pointed out, you would expect that even the most skeptical of the chief priests and Pharisees would see that and accept Him and His claims.  Continue reading →

November 22, 2015           John 11:45 – 12:2

Download discussion questions:  John 11_45-12_2 back to Bethany

Download the text and discussion questions we will be using to study this passage together.

November 15, 2015                 John 11:33 – 48

Download discussion questions:  John 11_33 – 48 Lazarus, Come forth

Our discussion group has spent the last two weeks reading about Lazarus (in the Bible he was only in the tomb four days!).  This week looked at the climax of the story and in particular how different groups and individuals responded to Jesus. Continue reading →