Download discussion questions: John 12_9-26 Hosanna
Download “Jesus’ Hour in John”: John 12_23 Jesus’ Hour
A few weeks ago our discussion suggested that the raising of Lazarus was a “pivotal event” in John’s story of Jesus (“John 12:1-8 The Woman With Perfume”). This week’s passage, occurring a short time later and in the same town, marks a pivotal saying of Jesus. Continue reading
Download discussion questions: John 12_9-26 Hosanna
Download “Jesus’ Hour in John”: John 12_23 Jesus’ Hour
Lazarus has been raised, and on the next visit to Bethany, Jesus is seen as something of a celebrity. A dinner party is held for Him, and His mere presence draws a crowd. But not everyone is happy about it.
This week’s passage marks a turning point, what Jesus called “My hour.” Download the discussion questions, and explore the text to see how various people had a part in that turning point. A second handout compares some of the ways John mentions that “hour” in the Gospel he wrote. Those other references may help us see more of the significance of the hour in Jesus’ thinking and in His mission.
Download discussion questions: John 12_1-8 woman with perfume
Download discussion questions: John 12_1-8 woman with perfume (highlighted)
John’s record of Jesus’ visit to Bethany when He raised Lazarus from the dead includes a bit of foreshadowing. Mary, the sister of Lazarus and Martha, is further identified as, “the Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped His feet with her hair” (John 11:2). Our discussion noted that this event must have been so well known that John’s readers would be able to identify this part of his narrative with the stories they had heard from oral tradition. One member had asked the very natural question, “Is this the same event that is recorded in other Gospel records?” Continue reading
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
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
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
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
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.
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
Download discussion questions: John 11_33 – 48 Lazarus, Come forth
Here are the discussion questions for next week. The blog post will be added after the group meeting.