He Is Greater Than Our Father Abraham

By Mary Vee
John 8 

Peter

Photo by Mary Vee. View from the Mount of Olives facing
the Temple area

My name is Peter, I am a disciple of Jesus. 

The Feast of the Tabernacle is coming to a close. The other disciples and I are standing in the temple courts again today, listening to Jesus teach. 

Photo by Mary Vee, The top of
the Mount of Olives today.

Anytime crowds gather near Jesus, the Pharisees quickly find there way near the front. Then, as Jesus speaks, they whisper among themselves before asking questions. Even I could see the purpose of their questions was to trap Jesus. Today, they have been especially cruel with their words. For example, a few minutes ago one said, "Aren't we right in saying that you are a Samaritan and demon-possessed?"

See?

Jesus said, "I am not possed by a demon, but I honor my Father. You dishonor me. I'm not looking for any glory, but there is one who seeks it. And he is the judge.  I speak the truth. If anyone keeps my word, he will never see death."

The Pharisee leaders squinted in anger. Some raised their fist. "This is our proof," they said to the crowd then turned to Jesus. "Now we know you are demon possessed! Abraham died and so did the prophets, yet you say that if anyone keeps your word, he will never see death. Do you think you are greater than our father Abraham? He died. So did the prophets. Who do you think you are?"

I would have liked to answer their question, but I wouldn't have done it as well as Jesus. So, I waited.

Jesus answered, "If I glorify myself, it will mean nothing. My Father, the one you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me. Though you do not know him, I know him. If this wasn't true, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and keep his word. Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day. He saw it and was glad."

Photo by Mary Vee
On top of the Mount of Olives,
the Disciples Prayer is
posted in many languages.

Well, this certainly made the Pharisees angrier. They raised their voices. One burst out, "You are not fifty years old and you claim to have seen Abraham!"

Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, before Abraham was born, I am."

That was when the Pharisees became violent. They picked up stones and brought their arms back to throw them at him, but Jesus hid himself. He slipped away from the temple grounds where they couldn't see him.

Jesus wasn't afraid. He once told the other disciples and me he did His Father's work every day. This was not his time. 

I didn't understand what He meant at this time. But later, I did. 

What happened next? Next week I will tell you more. 

 Come back to read the next story.

*Author of blog's note: If you have questions, please feel free to leave them in the comment section. I will see them and will answer as best I can or direct you to a source.


*********************************************************************************************

sources: 
*A Harmony of the Gospels for Historical Study, An Analytical Synopsis of the Four Gospels by William Arnold Stevens and Ernest DeWitt Burton, Charles Scribner's Sons, New York 1932
*New International Version, New King James Version. 
*My Bible College training.
*My notes and walk through classes I've taught in Children's church. Answers to student questions, etc.
*Pastoral sermons on this time
*Matthew Henry Commentary
*F. LaGard Smith Commentary
*My notes from my trip to Israel.
*Photos from my trip to Israel.

Who Is This Man Called Jesus?

By Mary Vee
John 8 

Peter

Photo by Mary Vee. View from the Mount of Olives facing
the Temple area

My name is Peter, I am a disciple of Jesus. We are in the temple courts standing near the place where the offerings are placed.

Photo by Mary Vee, The top of
the Mount of Olives today.

The Pharisees have questioned Jesus relentlessly before the crowds who came to hear him speak. They seem to want to catch him in a mistake. But, no matter what they ask, Jesus always has a strong answer.

Jesus faced the Pharisees and said, "I am going away. You will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I am going you cannot come."



The Jews asked each other, "Will he kill himself. Is that why he said we could not go to the same place?"

Jesus said, "You are from below. I am from above. You are of this world. I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins. If you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins.

The Pharisees spoke among themselves for a moment before one said, "Who are you?"

Jesus said, "I am what I have been claiming all along. I have so much to say that concerns you. Judgments that affect you, but if you choose not to accept the truth from the One who has sent me to teach then none of it matters."

Photo by Mary Vee
On top of the Mount of Olives,
the Disciples Prayer is
posted in many languages.

They turned to each other again. "Who is this One that he speaks of?" They shrugged.

Jesus said, "When you raise up the Son of Man, you will know who I am. You will know that I have spoken the truth as my Father instructed. The One who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone for I will always do what pleases him."

It was those last words that helped many to believe Jesus is the Christ. The Son of God.

"To those of you who believed," Jesus said, "If you hold to my teachings, living them every day, you are really my disciples and will know the truth. The truth will set you free. 

One Pharisee said, "We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?"

Jesus said, "This is the truth, everyone who chooses the life of sin is a slave to it. A slave cannot come and go as he wants. The Son, though, has an established position. He has permission to go where he wants. I know you are trying to kill me because you have no room for this message in your heads. I am telling you what I have seen in the Father's presence. You, on the other hand, simply do what you have heard from your fathers.  


What happened next? Next week I will tell you more. 

 Come back to read the next story.

*Author of blog's note: If you have questions, please feel free to leave them in the comment section. I will see them and will answer as best I can or direct you to a source.


*********************************************************************************************

sources: 
*A Harmony of the Gospels for Historical Study, An Analytical Synopsis of the Four Gospels by William Arnold Stevens and Ernest DeWitt Burton, Charles Scribner's Sons, New York 1932
*New International Version, New King James Version. 
*My Bible College training.
*My notes and walk through classes I've taught in Children's church. Answers to student questions, etc.
*Pastoral sermons on this time
*Matthew Henry Commentary
*F. LaGard Smith Commentary
*My notes from my trip to Israel.
*Photos from my trip to Israel.

When She Truly Repented

By Mary Vee
John 8 

Peter

Photo by Mary Vee. View from the Mount of Olives facing
the Temple area

My name is Peter, I am a disciple of Jesus.

Photo by Mary Vee, The top of
the Mount of Olives today.

Last time I wrote, I told about the first day we spent with Jesus in the Temple for the Feast of Tabernacles. Jesus taught, answered questions, and, of course, dealt with the Pharisees. At the end of the day, the crowd and Pharisees returned to their homes or inns. 

Jesus didn't have a place to rest that night. No one who was at the Temple followed the custom to invite travelers, in this case, Jesus, into their home for rest.

Jesus walked up a steep road to the Mount of Olives for the evening, the same place where  he taught us how to pray. The next morning he rose early, walked back down the mountain, across the field and into the Temple for another day of the Feast of the Tabernacles.

Many men arrived at the early morning hour for the celebration. They gathered around Jesus. Quiet a few of these people lived far away and seemed interested in hearing Jesus teach one more time before they returned home.

Jesus sat down and prepared to teach. He hadn't spoken long before a group of Pharisees and teachers of the law dragged a woman through the crowd. They forced her to stand before the group then faced Jesus. "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law, Moses commanded us to stone a woman guilty of such a crime. What do you say?" 

The Pharisees scowled while roughly dealing with the woman. Clearly they brought her before Jesus and this crowd to discredit Jesus. 

The crowd watched Jesus, but he didn't look at them, nor the Pharisees. He bent low to the ground and wrote in the dirt with his finger.

The Pharisees asked him again, "What do you say?" They badgered him, refusing to stop pressing him for an answer.

After a few minutes, Jesus stood and faced the Pharisees. He said, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." When finishing these words, Jesus stooped down and wrote again in the dirt. 

Photo by Mary Vee
On top of the Mount of Olives,
the Disciples Prayer is
posted in many languages.

I learned later that Jesus knew what evil the Pharisees had done only the night before. Their sin was greater that the woman's and yet they accused her, and made a show of their superiority in front of the crowds. None of them could stay and punish the woman, and they knew it.

There is only one person who could stay. Only one who had never sinned. The Son of God. And so Jesus looked and saw the accusers had all left, leaving him and the woman. He stood and asked her, "Woman, where are those who accused you? Has no one remained to condemn you?"

She raised her eyes toward him. "No one, sir."

Photo by Mary Vee
This very old olive tree
stands on the Mount of Olives

It was during one of the private times later, when Jesus explained and answered our questions that we learned he saw true repentence in the woman. As God's Son, he had he power to forgive true repentance rather than condemn and make a spectacle of her as the evil Pharisees planned. 

Jesus said, "Then neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin."

What happened next? Next week I will tell you more. 

 Come back to read the next story.

*Author of blog's note: If you have questions, please feel free to leave them in the comment section. I will see them and will answer as best I can or direct you to a source.


*********************************************************************************************

sources: 
*A Harmony of the Gospels for Historical Study, An Analytical Synopsis of the Four Gospels by William Arnold Stevens and Ernest DeWitt Burton, Charles Scribner's Sons, New York 1932
*New International Version, New King James Version. 
*My Bible College training.
*My notes and walk through classes I've taught in Children's church. Answers to student questions, etc.
*Pastoral sermons on this time
*Matthew Henry Commentary
*F. LaGard Smith Commentary
*My notes from my trip to Israel.
*Photos from my trip to Israel.

The Few Who Believed Him

By Mary Vee
John 7 

Peter

Jerusalem
Photo by Mary Vee

My name is Peter, I am a disciple of Jesus.

The Feast of Tabernacles is still taking place in Jerusalem. I and the other disciples are with Jesus in the Temple courts. He has been talking with men who approach him with questions. 

At times, some of the men stepped back and talked among themselves. I was close enough to hear a few say, "Isn't this the man they are trying to kill? He isn't hiding. He speaks freely here in the temple."  They looked at the Pharisees. "See, they aren't saying a word against him. They must have changed their minds and concluded Jesus is the Christ."

"I'm not so sure," said another. "I think the Scriptures say we won't know where the Christ is from. This man, Jesus, is from Galilee."

Now Jesus stood talking with some other men farther away. He turned to these men and shouted, "You are correct. You know me, and you know where I am from." The men walked closer to him. Jesus then said, "I am not here on my own. The one who sent me is true. You do not know him, but I know him. He sent me."

The crowd of men became upset. Some tried to seize Jesus. No matter how much they tried, they couldn't seem to lay a hand on him. I later learned God had prevented their efforts because Jesus had more work to do. 

There were some in the crowd who, after hearing Jesus speak, put their faith in him. They said, "When the Christ comes, will he do more miracles than this man?" They agreed this was not likely, therefore, Jesus had to be the Christ.

The Pharisees grumbled. "Theose men are turning to Jesus. We can't have that." 

The chief priest said, "We have to get rid of him. Have the temple guards arrest him at once." 

What happened next? Next week I will tell you more. 

 Come back to read the next story.

*Author of blog's note: If you have questions, please feel free to leave them in the comment section. I will see them and will answer as best I can or direct you to a source.


*********************************************************************************************

sources: 
*A Harmony of the Gospels for Historical Study, An Analytical Synopsis of the Four Gospels by William Arnold Stevens and Ernest DeWitt Burton, Charles Scribner's Sons, New York 1932
*New International Version, New King James Version. 
*My Bible College training.
*My notes and walk through classes I've taught in Children's church. Answers to student questions, etc.
*Pastoral sermons on this time
*Matthew Henry Commentary
*F. LaGard Smith Commentary
*My notes from my trip to Israel.
*Photos from my trip to Israel.

The Will Of The Father Was More Important Than...

By Mary Vee
John 7 

Peter

Jerusalem
Photo by Mary Vee

My name is Peter, I am a disciple of Jesus.

The time of the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles neared. Men from all over Israel travel to Jerusalem for this annual feast that remembered our ancestor's days of wandering in the desert and worshiping God in the tabernacle. 

The other disciples and I were in Galilee with Jesus.

Some men who considered themselves Jesus' brothers came to him and said, "You ought to leave here and go to Judea, so that your followers may see the miracles you do."

They assumed he wanted to become popular. To raise up a large group of followers. 

They then said, No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are talking to large groups of people, performing miracles and gaining attention, show yourself to the world."

Their words showed how much they did not believe in him as the Son of God. Jesus had no desire to become a public figure. To rise in power. He came to do the will of his Father who is in heaven.

Jesus said, "The right time for me has not yet come."

Every minute of Jesus' life and a specific purpose. He had other tasks that had to be completed first, but this was not for these unbelievers to know. 

Jesus said, "For you, any time is right. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that what it does is evil. You go to the Feast. I am not yet going because for me, the right time has not yet come."

They assumed he wouldn't go to this feast. So they went ahead to Jerusalem.

While they traveled, Jesus met with seventy-two followers. He gave them instructions on how to go and tell others the message: The kingdom of God is near you. 

When he finished with this task, we traveled with Jesus in private to the Feast. He didn't call attention to himself. He walked among the people and heard them whisper, "Where is the man who performs miracles and is a great teacher?" Others whispered, "He is a good man." And others said, "He deceives the people." But no one went about speaking publicly about Jesus because they feared the Jews.

This story will continue next time. Come back and see what happened next.

 Come back to read the next story.

*Author of blog's note: If you have questions, please feel free to leave them in the comment section. I will see them and will answer as best I can or direct you to a source.


*********************************************************************************************

sources: 
*A Harmony of the Gospels for Historical Study, An Analytical Synopsis of the Four Gospels by William Arnold Stevens and Ernest DeWitt Burton, Charles Scribner's Sons, New York 1932
*New International Version, New King James Version. 
*My Bible College training.
*My notes and walk through classes I've taught in Children's church. Answers to student questions, etc.
*Pastoral sermons on this time
*Matthew Henry Commentary
*F. LaGard Smith Commentary
*My notes from my trip to Israel.
*Photos from my trip to Israel.