Class 16 – Jesus and Individuals
Suggested Pre-Class Readings
Read the following two conversations. What contrasts and lessons can you find from them? Jesus and Nicodemus: John 3:1-17. Jesus and the Samaritan woman: John 4:5-42.
Read Luke 7:36-50. How do you visualize this scene?
Read Matthew 14 and answer the following questions: What insights stand out to you from these verses? What do these verses tell you about Christ and John the Baptist? What do these verses tell you about Christ and Peter?
Read Luke 19:1-10. What do you think happened between verse 7 and 8 that caused the change in Zacchaeus?
Questions to focus on
Do the words Christ says to Nicodemus appear to be more “loving” or more “stern”? How does Nicodemus’s behavior toward Christ evolve in the Gospel According to John?
Nicodemus misunderstood the phrase “Born again/Born from above.” What phrase does the woman at the well seem to misunderstand? What did she think compared to what Jesus was saying?
What lessons might we learn from the fact that the woman left her waterpot behind and that Christ didn’t get his drink?
Compare the conversations that Jesus has with Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman. Name at least three specific contrasts in their conversations.
Based on the Greek text, does it seem to be the case that Jesus forgave the anointing woman in Luke 7 because she showed him so much love?
Is it possible to read Matthew 11:2-3 as a statement of John the Baptist’s faltering? If so, how could Jesus’s statement “And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me” be seen as a possible rebuke of John the Baptist and us?
How does Jesus react to the death of John the Baptist? (note the initial reaction, and then his secondary response).
What are the two different reactions to the Bread of Life sermon? Note specific phrases from John 6:60, 69.What are several lessons (backed up with specific scripture phrases) that we can learn from the storm the disciples were in and Jesus and Jesus walking on the water?
What unique detail about the calling of Peter is added by Luke?
Optional Post-Class Readings
I wrote an article about how teachers can reach out to individuals. If you’re a teacher, you might enjoy, “The Very Best Teaching: Reaching out to Individuals,” by John Hilton III.
While not overtly religious, the books, Leadership and Self-Deception and The Anatomy of Peace have great insights into how really looking at a person can lead to significant change.
Acknowledgements
Insights from, discussions with, and resources authored by Dr. Frank Judd, Dr. Mark Ellison, Dr. Gaye Strathearn, Dr. Matthew Grey, and Dr. S. Michael Wilcox were used in the creation of this video.