Thoughts on the Bible and Life
C. H. Dodd (1884-1973) was an influential New Testament scholar. In his book The Interpretation of the Fourth Gospel, he makes a simple observation: The Gospel of John introduces its characters whereas Mark expects his readers to know who he is talking about. For example, “And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness” (Mark … Read more
Why did Jesus wrap a towel around his waist and wash his disciples’ feet? Why did he make “himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant” (Phil. 2:7)? Here’s what he says in John 5: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he … Read more
Jesus was frequently misunderstood. On many occasions, his listeners failed to comprehend what he was saying or misinterpreted his words. After his resurrection, they also failed to recognize him. Here’s a list of examples in the Gospels. When Jesus was twelve years old he said to his parents, “‘Why were you searching for me? . … Read more
Follow the man who goes into the wilderness by himself Follow the man who is tempted but doesn’t give in Follow the man who says “Follow me” Follow the man who drives out evil spirits Follow the man who commands people to repent or turn around Follow the man who announces the arrival of God’s … Read more
Have you ever been unsure of who to sit beside in a cafeteria? Maybe you grabbed your tray of food and started walking toward a table then realized that you didn’t know anyone. Or maybe the people you knew didn’t have an open seat beside them. We like to eat with people we know—people we want … Read more