The earliest manuscripts do not include the account in verses 1-11 about the adulteress who was forgiven by Jesus, and for several reasons (which you can look up later) it is probably not original to John. It’s likely that a well-meaning scribe added the account at a later time, and while it interrupts the flow of John’s work, it’s not a big deal because it doesn’t really change anything about our understanding of Christ’s person, work, or teaching. The rest of our reading includes Christ’s self-revelation as the light of the world, and a prediction about his departure to go to the one who sent him.

:::

Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible

facebook.com/commuterbible

instagram.com/commuter_bible

twitter.com/CommuterPod

patreon.com/commuterbible

admin@commuterbible.org

Jesus travels to Galilee where his brothers encourage him to go to Judea, but Jesus tells them that his time has not yet come. The festivals of shelters is near, which was a celebration where the Jewish people lived in tents as a way of remembering God’s faithfulness to Israel during their time in the wilderness. Jesus shows up unexpectedly and the crowds become even more divided. Some are taken aback by his teaching and his command of the Scriptures, while others doubt him and question his origins, saying that no prophet is arises from Galilee. Through the conversations, Jesus continues to reference the one who sent him, proclaiming in advance through only slightly veiled speech that he was about to return to God the Father.

:::

Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible

facebook.com/commuterbible

instagram.com/commuter_bible

twitter.com/CommuterPod

patreon.com/commuterbible

admin@commuterbible.org

The crowds follow Jesus to the other side of the sea, and there, they ask him to perform a sign to prove that he has been sent by God. When they mention manna, Jesus reminds them that the manna came heaven, not from Moses. He thereby makes the case that he, himself is the bread of heaven. Then things get weird, for Jesus tells them that his followers must eat his flesh and drink his blood in order to have eternal life and be raised on the last day. Because of this, many of those who were following Jesus turned back and no longer accompanied Jesus and the other disciples.

:::

Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible

facebook.com/commuterbible

instagram.com/commuter_bible

twitter.com/CommuterPod

patreon.com/commuterbible

admin@commuterbible.org

John chapter 6 is the third longest chapter in the New Testament, and as such is the case, we’re going to break it down into two episodes. As mentioned in the introduction of our last episode, John includes seven significant signs in his gospel leading up to the Last Supper. The signs show the crowds that he isn’t just a man with interesting things to say, he is, by nature, the Son of God. Today we’ll read John’s accounts of the fourth sign, where Jesus feeds 5,000 people with five loaves of bread and two fish, and the fifth sign, where Jesus walks on water. After seeing the signs (and receiving a free meal) the crowds hunt for Jesus, who uses the opportunity to point out that they have a greater need than bread alone.

:::

Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible

facebook.com/commuterbible

instagram.com/commuter_bible

twitter.com/CommuterPod

patreon.com/commuterbible

admin@commuterbible.org

There are four gospel accounts written by four different writers, and each of these writers has compiled the events of Jesus’ life in ways that emphasize particular aspects of his and ministry. John includes seven significant signs in his gospel leading up to the Last Supper. We’ve covered two of the seven signs already: turning water into wine at a wedding feast and healing the official’s son. We’ll cover the third sign today as Jesus heals the sick. This sign points to his divine power over creation and over the effects of sin, making broken bodies whole and bringing the dead to life.

:::

Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible

facebook.com/commuterbible

instagram.com/commuter_bible

twitter.com/CommuterPod

patreon.com/commuterbible

admin@commuterbible.org

While traveling and teaching, Jesus visits Samaria, a region that the Jews intentionally avoided at all costs. Remember, in the history of Israel, there was a time when Israel split from Judah and tried to establish a center of rule and worship outside of Jerusalem; that location is Samaria. Though it would have been taboo in Jewish culture to do so, Jesus speaks to a woman there and asks her for a drink. This is not the only surprising incident in this interaction, as Jesus reveals his divine knowledge and his identity as the promised Messiah. Later, Jesus performs a long-distance miracle and heals the son of a local official from miles away.

:::

Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible

facebook.com/commuterbible

instagram.com/commuter_bible

twitter.com/CommuterPod

patreon.com/commuterbible

admin@commuterbible.org

Jesus performs his first miracle at a wedding, where the party is about to stop short because there is no more wine. Jesus miraculously turns water from purification jars into wine that tasted better than all the other wines that came before it. In so doing, Jesus proclaims through the miracle that the promised Messiah has come. He is the better bridegroom and the better wine that has come at the right time, providing his people with something better than all that came before. Later, Jesus meets with a Pharisee named Nicodemus who has come to him in secret. Christ tells him he must be born again, which confuses Nicodemus, because he doesn’t know how to accomplish such a feat. Jesus tells him in response that the wind blows where it pleases, and so does the Spirit.

:::

Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible

facebook.com/commuterbible

instagram.com/commuter_bible

twitter.com/CommuterPod

patreon.com/commuterbible

admin@commuterbible.org

Today, we’re beginning the gospel of John. Of the four gospel accounts in the New Testament, John is the outlier, as it is not “synoptic” with the other accounts. In other words, John doesn’t record the life of Jesus using parallel accounts used by the other gospel writers. This gospel is rich in theology, revealing the nature of Christ to a deeper degree, including his own teaching about his relationship with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit in later chapters. John parallels Genesis 1 as he opens his account, teaching that Christ is the “logos,” the Word of God, who was not only with God but who is himself God. He came in the flesh and dwelt among men. John the Baptist was the forerunner of Christ, a prophet like those of old who came to call Israel to repentance so that they be ready for the coming Messiah.

:::

Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible

facebook.com/commuterbible

instagram.com/commuter_bible

twitter.com/CommuterPod

patreon.com/commuterbible

admin@commuterbible.org