Author: Jeff Englund

John 4: 5-6

“So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon.”

In this passage we are following Jesus and his disciples as they travel north into Galilee from Judea. In a sense, Jesus is leaving the “Big City” area around Jerusalem and heading north into the small towns of the country.  To get where he is going he travels back through distant memories of the land as it was when Jacob, the grandson of Abraham, lived there. Continue reading “Deep Waters”

John 4: 4

“Now he had to go through Samaria.”

Since the days following the reign of Solomon, the people of Judah looked upon the Northern Tribes of Israel as sinful because they had replaced the worship of God in the temple at Jerusalem with the worship of two golden calf idols.

In the time of Jesus Samaritans probably looked upon the Jews as stuffed shirts. Continue reading “Perspective II”

John 4: 1-3

“Now Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that he was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John—  although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples. So he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee.”

In this passage, Jesus is told that the Pharisees were aware that he was gaining a following. Jesus then leaves Judea and goes back to Galilee. This passage raises a number of questions about what Jesus was doing and why.

Continue reading “Timing”

John 3:32

“He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony.”

Speaking about the “one who comes from above” John continues his explanation of why what Jesus says is so unique. Having pre-existed his birth on earth, Jesus comes to earth with a knowledge and an awareness of what it is like to be heaven. Imagine what it must have been like for the Son of God, an eternal, all-powerful being, to become part of his creation. Continue reading “Simplification”

John 3:31

“The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all.”

John the Baptist is unique in the history of God’s prophets because he is the herald of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. John’s relationship with God is revealed in John 1:33 where John says, “And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ ” Continue reading “Viewpoint”

John 3: 30

“He must become greater; I must become less.”

Knowing our place in life and being able to accept our role make life livable. In my experience with the world, it seems its message is very different: “you can be anything you want to be” coupled with “you can do it” and “just do it” and “get all you can” all lead to frustration and stress.

Continue reading “Contentment”

John 3:28-29

“You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’”

The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.”

Continue reading “Role”

John 3: 27

“To this John replied, ‘A person can receive only what is given them from heaven.’”

This verse is a treasure! As we read through the narratives of the Gospels and other Bible stories, it is easy to get caught up in the narrative. When that happens, we can read the words without stopping to fully consider them.

Think about this truth: ‘A person can receive only what is given them from heaven.’ Continue reading “Details”

John 3: 23-26

“Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were coming and being baptized.  (This was before John was put in prison.) An argument developed between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing. They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified about—look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.’”

To be baptized is a form “ceremonial washing.” To argue over the matter probably means that they were discussing who should be doing it. The Bible does not tell us, but it is not a stretch to imagine that the Jew in the story was claiming that only “authorized” Jews should be performing any kind of ceremonial washing or baptism.

Continue reading “Competition”

John 3: 22

“After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized.”

The Bible doesn’t explain why Jesus took his disciples out and baptized people. This work had been the responsibility of John the Baptist and his disciples since before Jesus started his ministry. One thing we know about Jesus is that he didn’t do things just to be doing something. He always had a reason and that reason was always that it was his Father’s will. So why would God want Jesus to do this? Continue reading “Questions”