In Sickness and in Health?

If Jesus' ministry really did last three years, I suppose we shouldn't be embarrassed that we only got as far as the Sermon on the Mount last year. So now, here we are; the sermon told, and the disciples returning with Jesus to whatever "real life" has become. I'm looking forward to the journey!

(25) Sickness, Death and Resurrection

Following the sermon on the mount, the crowd disperses and Jesus and the disciples head back for where they’ve been staying, probably in Capernaum, probably occupying several houses. Matthew and Luke describe several miracles. John describes some of these as well, listing them among the “signs” that Jesus did. What were John’s “signs” meant to signify? 

(The answer we had before: The words 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. But what do you think?)

Read Luke 7:1-9

1.       Read Matthew 8:5 Scholars assume these are the same story.  What difference does it make, whether the centurion came first on his own, or he sent elders of the Jews? What is the relationship between the (Roman) centurion and the (Jewish) faith/people?

2.       Read John 4:46 (The word translated son can also be used for servant.) What difference does it make whether the nobleman, son or servant is Jewish or Roman? What difference does it make if we pray for a believer or non-believer? Or if a non-believer prays?

3.       Do you think these stories describe one event, two events, three, or many? How does this fit with the idea of one sermon (on the mount), two (adding one on the plain), three (one in Jerusalem), or many?

4.       Why might John start the story in Cana rather than Capernaum? Can you think of any connection between water turned to wine and sickness turned to health?

5.       Read Matthew 8:8-9, John 4:49-50. What does this tell us about the centurion’s/nobleman’s faith?

6.       Matthew 8:8 is quoted at Communion in Catholic services. Why might it be an appropriate quote?

7.       Read Matthew 8:10-13 What extra information does Matthew include, and why might the extra words be more relevant to Matthew’s gospel than to Luke’s?

8.       Read John 4:48 What extra information does John include and how does it fit his theme?

9.       Read John 4:51-54 John describes signs rather than miracles. List the things that seem special about this sign.

10.   Which things seem most relevant to your life, your prayer requests, etc.?

Luke goes on to describe another well-known miracle. Read Luke 7:11-17

1.       What does this story have in common with the previous one? (Read Luke 7:2)

2.       Nain appears to be South of Nazareth, so not particularly close to Capernaum. Do you think these stories really happened back to back? What else might connect them if not place or time? (Near death meant certain to die)

3.       Why might Luke choose to place the stories one after another even if they happened in different places? (Read Luke 7:18-19 Could his reasoning be related to the story he will tell next?)

4.       What other stories do we know where Jesus raises the dead? (Read Mark 5:42, John 11:44)

5.       Read Luke 7:13-15, Luke 8:52-54, John 11:35,43-44 How does Jesus respond to death? And how do we respond?

6.       Read Luke 7:16-17. How do the people respond to resurrection?

a.       We’ve read so many times about Jesus’ resurrection. How do we respond? How should we?

b.      How does the world respond? And how might our response help?