Feast and Fast

We're back in John's gospel for the next steps in our study of the New Testament. Jesus has returned from the desert (temptation) and recruited a few of John's disciples--namely Andrew, Simon, John, maybe James, Philip and Nathaniel/Bartholomew. As he heads North to a wedding, it's not clear which disciples travel with him and which continue to their fishing boats in Galilee. But John's probably still here, since he tells the story... And you're still here, since you're reading the study...

(11) Early Signs and Early Days

John, according to John, was one of the first disciples. If he followed Jesus from the start, he might have been witness to early events that the other disciples missed out on. This might explain the early events in John’s gospel which don’t appear, or appear much later in other accounts. Also, John was probably the last to write a gospel. He may have reordered events to give a consistent telling of Jesus’ purpose, rather than just a newspaper account of His life.

1.       How much does it worry you when people disagree about the order of events in the gospels?

2.       How much does it worry you when they disagree about the interpretation of events—supernatural vs natural power, miracles can only occur for teaching vs miracles occur because Jesus loves us, etc…?

3.       If you were telling someone the story of Jesus, which bits would you be sure to put in the early pages? Why?

We left off in John where Nathaniel, from Cana, had just been brought to Jesus by Philip. Now Jesus goes to Cana to attend a family wedding—possibly even Nathaniel’s wedding. Jesus’ mother and brothers are there, so the families might be related. At the very least, in a world of small towns and villages, they probably knew each other.

1.       There are lots of theories about where Cana might be, and lots of arguments about whether the miracle is real or symbolic—John calls it “the first sign” which might refer to a lost book of signs, to part two of John’s gospel, (prolog, signs, exaltation & epilogue), to some tradition of Messianic signs, or to the first public miracle. Read John 2:1-11. What details make it sound real? What details make it sound like an eye-witness account?

2.       Jesus sounds like he’s refusing to perform a miracle, then performs it anyway. Are there other times, e.g. in the Old Testament, where someone argues with God and gets what they want? Have you ever argued with God?

3.       Some Christian traditions revere Mary, the mother of Jesus. Others try to ignore her. What do we learn from Mary in this passage? And what do we learn about her?

4.       What might “My time has not yet come” mean? (Read Matthew 26:18)

5.       What do we learn about the running of Galilean households and weddings in Jesus’ time? The details agree with ancient traditions, accounts and archeology. What details are important in modern weddings, and why?

6.       What do we learn about Jesus? Does this story encourage you to bring your everyday concerns to him?

7.       What might John want us to learn about Jesus’ ministry? Or about the sort of concerns we can bring to Jesus?

Read John 2:12. The story ends with Jesus and his family heading for Capernaum, though Jesus is soon back in Jerusalem for Passover, where he “cleanses the Temple.” Why might cleansing the Temple be a good story to give readers straight after  the “saving the best till last” one that we’ve just read?

Read John 2:13-21 The other gospels tell a story of Jesus cleaning the Temple during his final visit to Jerusalem. But it’s more than possible that Jesus has returned, early in his ministry, with just a few disciples. Simon and Andrew have been left fishing perhaps, awaiting a later recall to service. In this case Jesus may have cleansed the Temple twice. How might cleansing the Temple at the start of His ministry have influenced how the authorities viewed Jesus?

1.       The Temple details ring true, as does the making of the whip. Read verse 16-17. How do you show zeal for God’s house? What sort of “whip” might you use?

2.       Verse 18 refers to a sign again. What will that sign be? How willing are you to wait for “signs”?

3.       Read verse 19-20. Herod began building the Temple around 20BC, so this happens around 26/7AD, and the people’s misunderstanding makes sense. That said, if you’ve spent a long time doing something “for God,” how willing are you to give it up “to God”?

4.       Read John 2:23-25 Do you see Jesus as surrounded by disciples here, or just surrounded by curious onlookers? How can you make sure you’re a disciple, not just an onlooker? What might Jesus see “in you”?