The Fourth Gospel attributed to John the son of Zebedee.
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Is the water jar in John 4:28 a symbol?
At the end of Jesus' conversation with the woman by the well, John records
28 So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to
the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me all ...
9
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4answers
194 views
Why does Jesus tell his mother his “hour has not yet come”?
Very early on, John tells a story that is unique to his gospel:
On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus also was invited to the wedding ...
2
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2answers
71 views
What significance does John perceive in the piercing of Christ's side and the flow of blood and water?
Both the piercing of Christ side and the flow of blood and water (John 19:34) are unique to John’s gospel and it’s clear from the testimony which follows (19:35) he sees in them great deal of ...
2
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2answers
45 views
Why in John's account does Jesus reply to Pilate's inquiry with a question?
The initial exchange between Pilate and Jesus in Mark 15:2 is quite terse:
And Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, “You have said so.”
Matthew 27:11 and Luke ...
3
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0answers
23 views
In John 18, who was high priest at the time of Jesus' arrest?
First the text in John 18 (NIV) seems to make clear that Caiaphas was high priest:
18:13 They bound him and brought him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that ...
5
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3answers
108 views
Does John distinguish between terms for love?
It's fairly common knowledge that there are four Greek words for love, but it's not clear from the Wikipedia article whether certain distinctions persist from Ancient Greek to Koine, namely the ...
4
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1answer
37 views
Why does John interweave the stories of Jesus' questioning and Peter's denial?
In John 18, the author weaves together an account of Peter's denial and a questioning of Jesus before Annas. It's very well done and seems rather more complex from a literary standpoint. But what does ...
5
votes
1answer
36 views
Who are the soldiers in John 18:3?
Does the "detachment of soldiers" refer to a Roman guard? If so, how large of a group? Or is it a different group of soldiers, perhaps a temple guard or Jewish soldiers if there were any at the time?
...
6
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3answers
143 views
Why did the Samaritans worship God in Mount Gerissim rather than Jerusalem?
In John chapter 4, Jesus has a discussion with a woman of Samaria:
The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in ...
3
votes
1answer
39 views
What is the difference between ζωὴ and ψυχὴ?
The word "life" appears in most translations of John 12:25 three times. For example, in the ESV:
Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal ...
6
votes
1answer
24 views
Is John 16:31 meant to be a question?
In the 1984 NIV, Jesus replies to his disciples in John 16:31 saying, "You believe at last!" However, there is also a footnote on the verse, "Or Do you now believe?" In the 2011 NIV, however, the ...
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2answers
96 views
What does John 12:40 mean?
I'm just going to post the King James Version. Feel free to reference your preferred version at your leisure.
John 12:40
He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not ...
4
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2answers
100 views
Why does everyone in John misunderstand Jesus?
Jesus seems to be misunderstood pretty consistently throughout the Gospel According to John:
John 2:19-20
Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.”
...
4
votes
2answers
45 views
Is the statement about love and obedience in John 14:15 an imperative or an indicative?
In the 1984 NIV, Jesus says in John 14:15:
If you love me, you will obey what I command.
But in the 2011 revision, the same sentence is rendered:
If you love me, keep my commands.
This ...
2
votes
2answers
42 views
What does it mean to convict the world concerning righteousness?
In John 16:8-11, we read (emphasis mine):
When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; in ...
3
votes
1answer
33 views
How should the phrase ἐλέγξει τὸν κόσμον περὶ in John 16:8 be translated?
The 1984 NIV of John 16:7b-11 reads (emphasis mine):
Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of ...
4
votes
2answers
60 views
In John 14:2, what is Jesus' Father's house?
In John 14:2, Jesus tells his disciples:
In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. (NIV)
What is Jesus referring ...
6
votes
3answers
327 views
Jesus is both the good shepherd and the gate - Is it the same parable or two different?
In John 10 Jesus use two images. First he is the gate for the sheep.
John 10:7-10 (NIV):
Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for
the sheep. All who have come ...
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vote
2answers
100 views
Who does Jesus refer to by the phrase “another who testifies about me” in John 5:32?
There is another who testifies about me, and I know that the testimony that he testifies about me is true.
ἄλλος ἐστὶν ὁ μαρτυρῶν περὶ ἐμοῦ καὶ οἶδα ὅτι ἀληθής ἐστιν ἡ μαρτυρία ἣν μαρτυρεῖ ...
4
votes
3answers
240 views
How does John use the Feast of Dedication in John 10?
In John 10:22, John mentions that it was winter and the Feast of Dedication had come. Earlier in the Festival Cycle, John transparently uses the various feasts to give a better understanding of Jesus ...
5
votes
3answers
124 views
Why did Jesus' disciples believe in him after he turned water into wine?
Yeshu'a did this beginning of the signs in Kana of Galil, and he manifested his glory, and his disciples believed in him. (John 2:11)
What were these "signs" a sign/ indication of?
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votes
2answers
130 views
Why is the blind man in John 9 sent to the pool that means “sent”?
In John 9, Jesus performs the miracle of healing the blind man in a rather unorthodox manner. He first creates some mud or clay out of the dirt and his saliva, then he "anoints" the man's eyes, and ...
7
votes
1answer
147 views
Jesus and the adulterous woman: was stoning a practical possiblity?
In John 8:5, the Pharisees ask Jesus:
In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say? (NIV)
Was stoning a woman for adultery often/sometimes done during Jesus' days, or ...
10
votes
2answers
225 views
Is there any significance behind Jesus' use of the word “love” in “John 21:15-17”
In John 21:15-17 (ESV), we read:
15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter,
“Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him,
“Yes, Lord; you know that ...
5
votes
2answers
118 views
John 12:25 on life hating
Every year we read John 12 during Lent and every year our priest gives us the same schpeel about hate, in this context, meaning "to love less".
Why, then, does hate, in this context, mean "to love ...
5
votes
2answers
186 views
Why do many chinese Bibles translate “Logos” in John 1:1 as 道 (dao)?
道（dao) is the concept which the entire Dao De Jing seeks to expound upon and discuss. Dao De Jing is the central text of Daoist philosophy. I don't know how to define "dao" beyond an extremely ...
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0answers
134 views
“First day of the week” or “one of the Sabbaths”? [closed]
In the following interesting article (which, regardless of whether it is right or wrong, is nevertheless an interesting viewpoint, in the sense of iron sharpening iron), the author hypothesises that ...
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vote
4answers
355 views
Is Jesus equal to or less than the Father [closed]
Joh 10:30 I and my Father are one.
Joh 14:28 Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again
unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto
the Father: ...
3
votes
1answer
337 views
*Two* miraculous catches of fish in John 21 and significance?
In John 21, Jesus tells the disciples to throw their nets on the "right side of the boat" (verse 6) which enables the second miraculous catch of fish in Jesus' ministry, the catching of 153 fish.
...
3
votes
2answers
233 views
Why did Jesus tell Mary not to hold onto Him?
John 20:17a:
Jesus said, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father."
Why did Jesus tell Mary not to "hold on to" Him? Presumably it was not a problem with touching, since ...
4
votes
3answers
1k views
How and why did Jesus weep?
John 11:35 (the shortest verse in the Bible?) says simply:
Jesus wept.
How should we understand this? Tearful? Sobbing? What was the nature of his weeping?
And what was the reason? Sadness at ...
5
votes
1answer
100 views
Why did John make such a big deal about being a faster runner than Peter?
John 20:3-8:
So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of ...
4
votes
1answer
41 views
Were the disciples that certain?
John 17:8b:
They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me.
I'm guessing that this is a translation issue, but I'm curious to hear expert opinion. Here Jesus ...
6
votes
1answer
127 views
What is Philip asking for in John 14:8?
When Philip asks Jesus, "Lord, show us the Father, and we will be content," what is he asking for? Obviously his categories were mistaken, because the answer to his request was standing right before ...
4
votes
4answers
274 views
Does the phrase “born of water and the Spirit” refer to one, or two births?
In John 3:5, Jesus says that we must be "born of water and the Spirit".
Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of ...
7
votes
1answer
135 views
How many and who were the people the women found at Jesus' tomb?
In the empty tomb stories, somebody was already there when the women arrived. But how many people and who were they?
For reference:
Mark: a young man
Matthew: an angel of the Lord
Luke: two men
...
17
votes
5answers
740 views
“A god” or “God” in John 1:1?
John 1:1 (NWT):
In [the] beginning the Word was, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god.
This translation, the Jehovah's Witnesses New World Translation is, I think, unique in using ...
4
votes
2answers
506 views
Was the Beloved Disciple the author of the Fourth Gospel?
One very common interpretation of the Gospel of John is that the Beloved Disciple was the author of the book. (Presumably, he was interested in obscuring his identity for some reason.) But other ...
5
votes
3answers
922 views
Who was the Beloved Disciple?
According to Wikipedia:
The Gospel [of John]'s authorship is anonymous. Its Chapter 21 states it derives from the testimony of the 'disciple whom Jesus loved.' Along with Peter, the unnamed ...
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votes
1answer
66 views
How many resurrection hours does Jesus refer to in John 5:25-29?
In John 5:25-29 we read:
“Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has ...
6
votes
3answers
3k views
What is the significance of 153 fish?
John 21:11
Simon Peter climbed aboard and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn.
Is there any significance to the number 153? Or ...
5
votes
5answers
338 views
The beloved disciple vs Peter
I was reading a book by Andreas Köstenberger and he points out that in the Fourth Gospel, the beloved disciple is depicted at least several times as having greater access to knowledge as compared ...
5
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2answers
200 views
Was Nazareth a joke town?
Nathanael said (John 1:46a):
“Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked.
What was the reputation of Nazareth at the time? Was it considered a "joke town" to be made fun of?
4
votes
1answer
143 views
Reconciling the accounts of the calling of Simon Peter
How do you reconcile the two accounts of Jesus calling Peter? (Matt 4:18-19 and John 1:35-42)
In the Matthew passage, Peter and Andrew are together fishing. In the John passage, Andrew was with John ...
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votes
3answers
163 views
What are the Pharisees saying to search in John 7:52?
The Pharisees say to Nicodemus in John 7:52:
ἐραύνησον καὶ ἴδε ὅτι ἐκ τῆς Γαλιλαίας προφήτης οὐκ ἐγείρεται
Or
Search and see that a prophet has not arisen from Galilee
Is there any way to ...
11
votes
4answers
389 views
Why did John take Mary, who was married, into his home?
John 19:26-27
(26) When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved
standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” (27) and
to the disciple, “Here is your ...
6
votes
5answers
4k views
When did Jesus change his view on preaching to Gentiles?
In John 10:16 Jesus says (ESV quoted):
And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.
The ...
4
votes
2answers
2k views
Does Jesus refer to aliens in John 10:16?
Jesus said:
And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.—John 10:16 (ESV)
Who are ...
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6answers
350 views
How should we understand the “Cleansing of the Temple”?
As a preface, I was talking with some good friends last night and this passage came up. On of my friends contributed an interpretation that made my blood boil. He was clearly wrong and clearly ...
4
votes
3answers
255 views
How should John 1 be interpreted?
The first chapter of the Gospel of John seems to contrast with the rest of the book, in style and purpose. It seems very abstract and poetic, while the rest of John seems to be a more traditional ...
