2 Samuel 8

2 Samuel 8: David’s Victories, David’s Officials

2 Samuel 7

2 Samuel 7: God’s Promise to David, David’s Prayer

2 Samuel 6

2 Samuel 6: The Ark Brought to Jerusalem

2 Samuel 5

2 Samuel 5: David Becomes King Over Israel, David Conquers Jerusalem, David Defeats the Philistines

2 Samuel 4

2 Samuel 4: Ish-Bosheth Murdered

2 Samuel 3:22-39

2 Samuel 3:22–39: Joab Murders Abner

2 Samuel 3:6-21

2 Samuel 3:6–21: Abner Goes Over to David

2 Samuel 2:1-3:5

2 Samuel 2:1–3:5: David Anointed King Over Judah, War Between the Houses of David and Saul

2 Samuel 1:17-27

2 Samuel 1:17–27: David’s Lament for Saul and Jonathan

2 Samuel 1:1-16

2 Samuel 1:1–16: David Hears of Saul’s Death

Back to the Old!

It’s time for this blog to get back into the Old Testament! Why? Well let’s take a quick trip through memory lane…

John Summary

The first four books of the New Testament—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—are called the Gospels, where the word “Gospel” means “Good News.” These books tell about the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. However, these four books are sometimes further categorized into the three synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke), with John being the “other” Gospel. (I often see the term “synoptic Gospels” applied to Matthew, Mark, and Luke, but I haven’t seen a specific term given to John. Maybe we should call it the “non-synoptic Gospel”?)

I can’t really put my finger on how John is different from the “synoptic” Gospels (and didn’t see a good description of the difference other than vague references to the synoptic Gospels being more “similar” to each other in… some way), but it does have a different feel to it than the other Gospels, even to me. I read that the first three Gospels were written within a generation of Jesus’ ministry while John was written a generation after that (sometime between A.D. 90 and 100). One article I found online believed that this different time period was significant as to why John wrote his book:

Because of this [later time period], news about Jesus was no longer new to the people since accounts of his ministry had already existed for many years. John wrote his book at a time when Christians were being severely persecuted for their beliefs and for following the teachings of Jesus, so John felt the need to reach out to both Christians and their persecutors. John wanted to minister to those who questioned their beliefs in Jesus as well as those who denied that he was the Messiah. John’s purpose was more about theology and evangelism than it was about simply recording the events of Jesus’ life for the sake of historical works.

John himself says something in Chapter 20 that lends credence to this:

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (John 20:30–31)

Personally, as I was working my way through the book of John, I found it more theologically dense than the other Gospels; what I mean by that is that there is so much theology packed into a single verse in John’s Gospel that one’s brain is in danger of getting overloaded! It may be because John had more time to think about these things before he wrote them down.

I wonder if this emphasis also explains why John devotes so much of his book to one single night in Jesus’ life: Chapters 13 through 17—almost a quarter of the book!—all take place the night before Jesus’ crucifixion. John obviously feels it’s important to pass on some of Jesus’ last words to his disciples, before he leaves them.

I do wonder, however, if John was also facing more and more persecution from the Jewish religious leaders as his life progressed. Very often in this book John mentions that Jesus is talking to “the Jews,” or that “the Jews” did such-and-such thing, where I think what John meant was “the Jewish religious leaders.” Because there are so many mentions of “the Jews” in this book, I think it would be easy for anti-semitic Christians to find justification for their hate. (Whereas they have to ignore large parts of the rest of the New Testament—but bigots will always pick and choose what they want to listen to and what they don’t.) I don’t think John was anti-semitic, or wanted his readers to be, but anti-semites could read John in that way if they wanted to. For the most part, as I was blogging through John, I tried to avoid using the term “the Jews” unless I was directly quoting John’s words, and referred instead to the religious leaders, which was, I think, John’s intent.

Finally, one aspect of the Gospel of John that I’ve always found very charming, is that John constantly refers to himself as “the disciple Jesus loved.” It should be obvious that he doesn’t believe Jesus didn’t love the other disciples, or that Jesus loved John more. No, John is simply overwhelmed that Jesus—the Lord, the Word, God Incarnate—loved him! John lived a very long time, and never stopped being amazed that Jesus loved him; he still seems amazed by it when we get to his epistles.

We should feel the same: Jesus loves me, and that’s incredible.

1:1–18: The Word Became Flesh 1:19–34: The Testimony of John the Baptist, Behold the Lamb of God 1:35–51: Jesus Calls the First Disciples, Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael 2:1–12: The Wedding at Cana 2:13–25: Jesus Cleanses the Temple, Jesus Knows What is in Man 3:1–15: You Must Be Born Again 3:16–21: For God So Loved the World 3:22–36: John the Baptist Exalts Christ 4:1–45: Jesus and the Woman of Samaria 4:46–54: Jesus Heals an Official’s Son 5:1–18: The Healing at the Pool on the Sabbath, Jesus is Equal With God 5:19–47: The Authority of the Son, Witnesses to Jesus 6:1–15: Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand 6:16–21: Jesus Walks on Water 6:22–71: I Am the Bread of Life, The Words of Eternal Life Chapter 7: Jesus at the Feast of Booths, Can This Be the Christ?, Officers Sent to Arrest Jesus, Rivers of Living Water, Division Among the People 7:53–8:11 not covered, since those verses aren’t as reliable as the rest of the book 8:12–30: I Am the Light of the World 8:31–38: The Truth Will Set You Free 8:39–47: You Are of Your Father the Devil 8:48–59: Before Abraham Was, I Am 9:1–2: “Who sinned?” Chapter 9: Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind

10:1–21: I Am the Good Shepherd 10:22–42: I and the Father Are One Chapter 11: The Death of Lazarus, I Am the Resurrection and the Life, Jesus Weeps, Jesus Raises Lazarus, The Plot to Kill Jesus Chapter 12: Mary Anoints Jesus at Bethany, The Plot to Kill Lazarus, The Triumphal Entry, Some Greeks Seek Jesus, The Son of Man Must Be Lifted Up, The Unbelief of the People, Jesus Came to Save the World 13:1–20: Jesus Washes the Disciples’ Feet 13:21–38: One of You Will Betray Me, A New Commandment, Jesus Foretells Peter’s Denial 14:1–14: I Am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life 14:15–31: Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit 15:1–17: I Am the True Vine 15:18–16:15: The Hatred of the World, The Work of the Holy Spirit 16:16–33: Your Sorrow Will Turn Into Joy, I Have Overcome the World Chapter 17: The High Priestly Prayer 18:1–24: Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus, Jesus Faces Annas and Caiaphas, Peter Denies Jesus, The High Priest Questions Jesus 18:25–32: Peter Denies Jesus Again, Jesus Before Pilate 18:33–40: My Kingdom Is Not of This World 19:1–16: Jesus Delivered to be Crucified 19:16–27: The Crucifixion of Jesus 19:28–42: The Death of Jesus, Jesus’ Side is Pierced, Jesus is Buried Chapter 20: The Resurrection, Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene, Jesus Appears to the Disciples, The Purpose of This Book 21:1–14: Jesus Appears to Seven Disciples 21:15–19: Jesus and Peter 21:20–25: Jesus and the Beloved Apostle

John 21:20-25

John 21:20–25: Jesus and the Beloved Apostle

John 21:15-19

John 21:15–19: Jesus and Peter

John 21:1-14

John 21:1–14: Jesus Appears to Seven Disciples

John 20

John 20: The Resurrection, Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene, Jesus Appears to the Disciples, The Purpose of This Book

John 19:28-42

John 19:28–42: The Death of Jesus, Jesus’ Side is Pierced, Jesus is Buried

Psalm 34

Psalm 34: Taste and See That the LORD Is Good

Psalm 69

Psalm 69: “Save me, O God”

John 19:16-27

John 19:16–27: The Crucifixion of Jesus

Psalm 22

Psalm 22: Why Have You Forsaken Me?

John 19:1-16

John 19:1–16: Jesus Delivered to be Crucified

John 18:33-40

John 18:33–40: My Kingdom Is Not of This World

John 18:25-32

John 18:25–32: Peter Denies Jesus Again, Jesus Before Pilate

John 18:1-24

John 18:1–24: Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus, Jesus Faces Annas and Caiaphas, Peter Denies Jesus, The High Priest Questions Jesus

John 17

John 17: The High Priestly Prayer

John 16:16-33

John 16:16–33: Your Sorrow Will Turn Into Joy, I Have Overcome the World

John 15:18-16:15

John 15:18–16:15: The Hatred of the World, the Work of the Holy Spirit

John 15:1-17

John 15:1–17: I Am the True Vine

John 14:15-31

John 14:15–31: Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit

John 14:1-14

John 14:1–14: I Am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life

John 13:21-38

John 13:21–38: One of You Will Betray Me, A New Commandment, Jesus Foretells Peter’s Denial

John 13:1-20

John 13:1–20: Jesus Washes the Disciples’ Feet

John 12

John 12: Mary Anoints Jesus at Bethany, The Plot to Kill Lazarus, The Triumphal Entry, Some Greeks Seek Jesus, The Son of Man Must Be Lifted Up, The Unbelief of the People, Jesus Came to Save the World

Psalm 118

Psalm 118: His Steadfast Love Endures Forever

John 11

John 11: The Death of Lazarus, I Am the Resurrection and the Life, Jesus Weeps, Jesus Raises Lazarus, The Plot to Kill Jesus

John 10:22-42

John 10:22–42: I and the Father Are One

Psalm 82

Psalm 82: Rescue the Weak and Needy

John 10:1-21

John 10:1–21: I Am the Good Shepherd

John 9

John 9: Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind

John 9:1-2

John 9:1–2: “Who sinned?”

John 8:48-59

John 8:48–59: Before Abraham Was, I Am

John 8:39-47

John 8:39–47: You Are of Your Father the Devil

John 8:31-38

John 8:31–38: The Truth Will Set You Free

John 8:12-30

John 8:12–30: I Am the Light of the World

John 7

John 7: Jesus at the Feast of Booths, Can This Be the Christ?, Officers Sent to Arrest Jesus, Rivers of Living Water, Division Among the People

John 6:22-71

John 6:22–71: I Am the Bread of Life, The Words of Eternal Life

John 6:16-21

John 6:16–21: Jesus Walks on Water

John 6:1-15

John 6:1–15: Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

John 5:19-47

John 5:19–47: The Authority of the Son, Witnesses to Jesus

John 5:1-18

John 5:1–18: The Healing at the Pool on the Sabbath, Jesus is Equal With God

John 4:46-54

John 4:46–54: Jesus Heals an Official’s Son

John 4:1-45

John 4:1–45: Jesus and the Woman of Samaria

John 3:22-36

John 3:22–36: John the Baptist Exalts Christ

John 3:16-21

John 3:16–21: For God So Loved the World

John 3:1-15

John 3:1–15: You Must Be Born Again

John 2:13-25

John 2:13–25: Jesus Cleanses the Temple, Jesus Knows What is in Man

John 2:1-12

John 2:1–12: The Wedding at Cana

John 1:35-51

John 1:35–51: Jesus Calls the First Disciples, Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael

John 1:19-34

John 1:19–34: The Testimony of John the Baptist, Behold the Lamb of God

John 1:1-18

John 1:1–18: The Word Became Flesh

Luke Summary

There are four Gospels in the New Testament—books that tell the story of Jesus’ life—of which Luke is the third: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. (The same man, Luke, also wrote the book of Acts, and the two books are sometimes referred to together as Luke-Acts, although, unlike the books of 1 & 2 Chronicles or 1 & 2 Kings, the Gospel of Luke and the book of Acts were written as separate books, they weren’t just pulled apart later.)

Luke 24:36-53

Luke 24:36–53: Jesus Appears to His Disciples, The Ascension

Luke 24:1-35

Luke 24:1–35: The Resurrection, On the Road to Emmaus

Luke 23:44-56

Luke 23:44–56: The Death of Jesus, Jesus is Buried

Luke 23:26-43

Luke 23:26–43: The Crucifixion

Luke 23:1-25

Luke 23:1–25: Jesus Before Pilate, Jesus Before Herod, Pilate Delivers Jesus to be Crucified

Luke 22:47-71

Luke 22:47–71: Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus, Peter Denies Jesus, Jesus is Mocked, Jesus Before the Council

Luke 22:39-46

Luke 22:39–46: Jesus Prays on the Mount of Olives

Luke 22:35-38

Luke 22:35–38: Scripture Must Be Fulfilled in Jesus

Luke 22:24-34

Luke 22:24–34: Who is the Greatest?, Jesus Foretells Peter’s Denial

Luke 22:7-23

Luke 22:7–23: The Passover with the Disciples, Institution of the Lord’s Supper

Luke 22:1-6

Luke 22:1–6: The Plot to Kill Jesus, Judas to Betray Jesus

Luke 21

Luke 21: The Widow’s Offering, Jesus Foretells Destruction of the Temple, Jesus Foretells Wars and Persecution, Jesus Foretells Destruction of Jerusalem, The Coming of the Son of Man, The Lesson of the Fig Tree, Watch Yourselves

Luke 20

Luke 20: The Authority of Jesus Challenged, The Parable of the Wicked Tenants, Paying Taxes to Caesar, Sadducees Ask About the Resurrection, Whose Son is the Christ?, Beware of the Scribes

Luke 19:28-48

Luke 19:28–48: The Triumphal Entry, Jesus Weeps Over Jerusalem, Jesus Cleanses the Temple

Luke 19:11-27

Luke 19:11–27: The Parable of the Ten Minas

Luke 19:1-10

Luke 19:1–10: Jesus and Zacchaeus

Luke 18:31-43

Luke 18:31–43: Jesus Foretells His Death a Third Time, Jesus Heals a Blind Beggar

Updates to Template

I’ve updated the template of this blog, mostly to just go back to the very basic template, without all of the customizations I’d previously added. Hopefully it will be more readable—especially the tables, for which I added back in some customizations.

Luke 18:18-30

Luke 18:18–30: The Rich Ruler

Luke 18:15-17

Luke 18:15–17: Let the Children Come to Me

Luke 18:9-14

Luke 18:9–14: The Pharisee and the Tax Collector

Luke 18:1-8

Luke 18:1–8 (ESV): The Parable of the Persistent Widow

Luke 17:20-37

Luke 17:20–37 (ESV): The Coming of the Kingdom

Luke 17:11-19

Luke 17:11–19 (ESV): Jesus Cleanses Ten Lepers

Luke 17:7-10

Luke 17:7–10 (ESV): Unworthy Servants

Luke 17:1-6

Luke 17:1–6 (ESV): Temptations to Sin, Increase Our Faith

Luke 16:19-31

Luke 16:19–31 (ESV): The Rich Man and Lazarus

Luke 16:14-18

Luke 16:14–18 (ESV): The Law and the Kingdom of God, Divorce and Remarriage

Back?

If anyone follows this blog (pretty sure the answer is no), and is wondering if I’m “back,” the answer is… I’m not sure. 🙂

Yes, I have started publishing some new posts again. I realized I’d been squandering 2020 by not using some of my “pandemic time” better. (In my defense, even though I was working from home throughout the pandemic, I ended up working a lot more, so I didn’t have as much free time as people like to joke about having. My wife might not believe this, but I think I might have actually watched less Netflix in 2020 than I did in 2019! But still… there was free time that could have been used better.)

The first thing I did in 2021 was get myself into a more intensive Bible reading plan, which was long overdue. I’m a fast reader so I’m able to do a plan which includes longer passages, so I’ll be going through the Bible in a year.

But then I started thinking about this blog, and decided to get back into it. I found an easier way to create/edit posts, and waited until I had a backlog of drafts before I even bothered to start hitting the Publish button, because I didn’t want to start and then fizzle out again.

Which… still might happen. 🙂 We’ll just have to see!

Luke 16:1-13

Luke 16:1–13 (ESV): The Parable of the Shrewd Manager

Luke 15

Luke 15 (ESV): The Parable of the Lost Sheep, The Parable of the Lost Coin, The Parable of the Prodigal Son