Vocabulary
Jesus is the Light of the World (John 8:12-20)
John 8:12-20 is a significant passage in the New Testament. In this section, Jesus speaks about the imporantce that people should follow him. Jesus proclaims, "I am the light of the world" (ἐγώ εἰμι τὸ φῶς τοῦ κόσμου [egō eimi to phōs tou kosmou]). This statement is profound, asserting that...
Jesus is not of this world (John 8:21-30)
John 8:21-30 presents a dialogue between Jesus and the Jews, in which Jesus speaks about his origin, destination, and divine identity. This passage is rich in theological content and employs key Greek terms that underscore its message and significance. In this passage, Jesus again addresses the...
Truth Will Set You Free (John 8:31-38)
John 8:31-38 is a passage in which Jesus speaks about the truth and freedom with those Jews who had believed in him. In the dialog, Jesus addresses Jews, stating, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (v. 31-32). The...
Abraham is our father (John 8:39-47)
In John 8:39-47, Jesus engages in a deep and confrontational dialogue with the Jews who believed in Him, focusing on the themes of spiritual lineage, truth, and freedom. The passage contrasts the notion of physical descent from Abraham with the spiritual descent that comes from doing the works of...
I was blind but now I see (John 9:25)
John 9:25 is commonly known verse from the New Testament. It narrates a significant moment where a man healed by Jesus responds to the Pharisees' skepticism. The man, who had been blind from birth and was miraculously healed by Jesus, declares, "Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One...
Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet (John 13:1-20)
The begining of thirteen chapter of the gospel of John speaks about paschal dinner. However John is not focusing on primary aspects of paschal dinner but concentrates our attention to feet washing, which is unexpected. This event is taking place in the perspective of Jesus' death (John 13:1.3).
Doubting Thomas (John 20:24-29)
The short narrative of John 20:24-29 is commonly known under the title “Doubting Thomas.” Generally, it is the Gospel of John (John 11:16; 14:5) which mostly deal with the character of Thomas and especially in the case of this narration where he becomes the model of a doubting man endlessly....
Peter's love for Jesus - Peter do you love me? (John 21:15-19)
After Jesus meets fishing disciples in Galilee, a short story follows narrating a dialog between Peter and Jesus. This is the third encounter of Jesus with his disciples after the resurrection. The story begins with arranging the event after finishing their meal (ἠρίστησαν [éristésan]). Jesus...
Ascension of Jesus (Acts 1:1-11)
Jesus' ascension into heaven signifies the end of his earthly ministry and the beginning of the apostles' mission. It also foreshadows Jesus' eventual return, as the angels declare that he will come back in the same way he ascended. Jesus instructs his disciples to be his witnesses in Jerusalem,...
Continuing the Testimony of the Acts of Jesus Christ (Acts 1:1-3)
Acts 1:1-3 provides an introduction to the book of Acts and sets the stage for the narrative that follows. In Acts 1:1-3, Luke addresses his writing to Theophilus, who is likely a patron or a person of high social status. He explains that his earlier work, the Gospel of Luke, was about all that...
Believers Had Everything in Common (Acts 4:32-37)
This brief comment, on the way how the believers shared their possessions, pictures the social order in the early Christian community. This order is no doubt influenced by the fervent expectation of the coming of the kingdom of God.
Epistle to the Romans
The Epistle to the Romans was always drawing considerable attention among theologians. For example, it was this epistle which significantly contributed to conversion of Augustine, to Martin Luther's discovery of justification by faith or was used by Karl Barth to form manifesto of dialectical...
Righteousness Through Faith (Romans 3:21-31)
Romans 3:24 speaks about "redemption that came by Christ Jesus". We do not event think about that, but this redemption has on its background very strong ancient contextual image. Redemption is not just ordinary synonym for salvation, but it concerns literal redeeming of a slave (there is a Greek...
Death Through Adam, Life Through Christ (Romans 5:12-21)
In this passage, the Apostle Paul explains how sin entered the world through Adam, and how Jesus Christ came to offer redemption from this sin. While all humanity is inherently sinful due to the original sin of Adam, salvation and righteousness are available to all through the grace of Jesus...
Adoption (Romans 8:14-17)
Verses of Romans 8:14-17 open one of the essential Pauline theological themes that we call adoption. In these verses, Paul develops his thesis from Romans 8 about the implications of the presence of the Holy Spirit in Christian life. One of the outcomes is the interconnection of God and people and...