The Man Born Blind

By Mary Vee
John 9 

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. 

Jesus walked in the courts of the temple and saw a man who had been blind since birth. I asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents. One of them had to be responsible for his being born blind?"

"Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus. "This happened so others could see the work of God displayed in his life. We must do the work of my Father as long as we have days on earth. The night is coming, though, when no one can work. While I am here in this world, I am the light of the world."

Jesus turned back to the blind man and spat on the ground, made some mud from it, and put it on the man's eyes. "Go wash in the Pool of Siloam." 

Photo by Mary Vee.
The pool where people came to be healed.
Jerusalem

The man's friends helped him find the way to the pool. He knelt down to the water and washed his eyes. He blinked water from his eyes and shouted, "I can see!! I can see!!"

His neighbors and friends who had seen him begging asked, 'Isn't this the blind man? The one who sat and begged all these years?" 

"Yes, that's him."

Others said, "No. That man can see. He only looks like the one we know."

The once blind man said, "Believe me. I am the one you want. I once was blind and now I see."

Photo by Mary Vee
The blind man wasn't the only person
Jesus healed. This sign is near the pool
shown above. Jerusalem

The neighbors said, "How is it that you can see?" They scoffed at him. Clearly, they didn't believe him.

The once blind man said, "The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to the Pool of Siloam and wash. I did what he said and washed. Now I can see."

The people looked beyond the crowd, "Where is this man?"

The blind man looked into the crowd and said, "I don't see him. I don't know where he went."



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.

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.

They Failed to Seize 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 other disciples and I stood nearby when Jesus when a crowd gathered. They waited for him to speak.

Jesus turned to them and said, "I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

The Pharisees moved among the crowd. These were the same men who tried to test Jesus by bringing the adulterous woman for him to judge. They ended up walking away without throwing a stone at her.

They probably saw he crowd and rushed over to prevent them from listening to Jesus' teachings. They seemed ready to question Jesus again as they pushed toward the front of the crowd. One Pharisee said, "Here you are. You are acting as your own witness and that makes the testimony you share among these witnesses not valid."

Jesus said, "Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid. I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I was or where I will go. You judge me by your human standards. I pass judgment on no one. 

"But if I do choose to judge, my decisions are right. I am not alone. I stand with the Father who sent me. In your own Law, it is written that the testimony of two men is valid. I am one who testifies for myself. My other witness is the Father who sent me."

A Pharisee said, "All right. So, where is your father?" He looked around the temple. "Is he here?"

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

Jesus said, "You do not know me or my Father. If you knew me you would know my Father."

As expected the Pharisees were not happy with Jesus. They tried to seize him but failed. Later I learned that this was not yet the appointed time. Jesus had more work to do.

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.

You Can Have Living Water

By Mary Vee
John 7 

Peter

Jerusalem
Photo by Mary Vee

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

We, the other disciples of Jesus and I are  in the temple courts. Men from all over Israel have come to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. 

A group of Pharisees, these are the teachers of the Holy Scriptures, seemed upset after listening to men talking about Jesus. In their anger they sent temple guards to arrest Jesus.

As the guards approached Jesus, he said, "I am with you for only a short time, then I will go back to the one who sent me. At that time you will look for me, but where I am you cannot go."

The Pharisees who stood near said, "Where does this man intend to go that he expects to hide from us? Will he hide where others hide among the Greeks? And what did he mean when he said, 'You will look for me, but where I am you cannot go?' We have eyes everywhere."

The soldiers didn't arrest him at that time. 

The last day of the feast came. Jesus went to the temple courts. When many men had gathered, Jesus spoke to them. "If anyone is thirsty, come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me as the Scriptures say will have streams of living water flow from within."

I learned later that the living water was the Holy Spirit. Up to this time the Spirit had not been given and wouldn't be given until Jesus was glorified.

Some of the men in the crowd said, "This man must be a prophet. 

Others said, This man is the Christ."

And others said, "But how can the Christ come from Galilee? Doesn't the Scriptures say the Christ will come from David's family, from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?"

So the people were divided.

Some became angry and tried to attack Jesus, but no one succeeded.

The guards returned to the Pharisees without Jesus. The teachers yelled, "Why didn't you arrest Jesus?'

"We coudn't," said the guards. "No one has ever spoken the way this man does."

The Pharisees scowled. "So he has deceived you as well. Has any of the Pharisees believed in Jesus? No! Look at the mob that knows nothing of the law, there will be a curse on them.

Nicodemus, a Pharisee had spoken with Jesus at night one time. He said to the other Pharisees, "Does our law now condemn a man without first hearing what he has to say?"

The other Pharisees said, "You should know from the Scriptures that a prophet does not come from Galilee."

And so the Pharisees walked away. 



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.

Double Standards

By Mary Vee
John 7 

Peter

Jerusalem
Photo by Mary Vee

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

The Jewish Feast of Tabernacles had already begun. Jesus' brothers left a few days ago. Before they went, they asked Him if He was going. Every Jewish man attended this feast. But they didn't ask him because they cared. They didn't believe Jesus was God's son. They thought Jesus would put on a good show with His miracles.

I soon saw why Jesus didn't leave that day. He had important work that had to be done then. Work that could not wait. I mentioned it the last time I wrote. Scroll down to the last post to read about it. When he finished the work, the other disciples and I went up to Jerusalem to the feast with him. 

He kept his presence a secret, walking among the people in the city and listening to what they said. It seemed the people were unsure about him.

After hearing this, Jesus said it was time to go to the temple court. The men standing there recognized him and gathered near, wanting to hear him speak. And so he did. He spoke from the Holy Scriptures like no other Rabbi. The listeners were surprised. They said, "How can this man speak with such knowledge when he hasn't studied?"

Jesus anwered them, "I am not speaking my own teachings. These words come from Him who sent me. He who speaks with his own thoughts does it to receive honor for himself. He who speaks for the honor of the One who sent him, speaks truth. Moses gave you the law. Not one of you obeys it. Why are you trying to kill me?"

The men shouted, "You're crazy. Who is trying to kill you?"

Jesus said, "I healed a man on the Sabbath. You judge me for doing this on the seventh day. You had no compassion for the man. Then you perform circumcision on the Sabbath and think you are right. You judge others based on what you see and think rather than what the Scriptures teach.

The men walked away and talked among themselves. 

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.