1
Q
Parables
A
A typical teaching device Jesus used. They are vivid picture stories drawn from ordinary life that convey religious truth, usually related to some aspect of God’s Kingdom. They tease the listener to think and make choices about accepting the Good News of God’s reign.
2
Q
Eschatological
es·chat·o·log·i·cal
A
A term having to do with the end times or the “last things” (death, resurrection, judgment, Heaven, Hell, Purgatory, everlasting life, etc.).
3
Q
“Q”
A
An abbreviation for Quelle (German for “source”), the name given to hypothetical sources, written and oral, thought to be used by both Matthew and Luke in the composition of their Gospels.
4
Q
Gnostics
A
A generic term to describe adherents1 to a variety of pre- and early Christian heresies2 that taught that Salvation rests on secret knowledge (gnosis in Greek).
1 Adherents are people who passionately support, follow, or believe in a specific leader, group, idea, or religion.
2 belief or opinion contrary to orthodox religious (especially Christian) doctrine
5
Q
Christology
A
The branch of theology that studies the meaning of the person of Jesus Christ.
6
Q
anti-Semitism
A
Unfounded prejudice against the Jewish people.
7
Q
Dogma
A
A central truth of Revelation that Catholics are obliged to believe.
8
Q
Holy Trinity
A
The central mystery of the Christian faith. It teaches that there are Three Persons in one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
9
Q
What are the two main parts of Mark’s Gospel?
A
- A long introduction - covering Jesus’ ministry, teaching, miracles, and journey
- The Passion Narrative - focusing on Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection in Jerusalem
page 202
10
Q
Name a way that the Passion narrative in Mark’s Gospel is marked by a sense of abandonment.
S.K.I.P.S.
A
The disciples fail and abandon Jesus
(mnemonic at the footnote to help memorize)
- They repeatedly fall asleep during his agony
- He is betrayed by one of them into the hands of his enemies with a kiss
- They abandon everything when he is arrested to get away from him
- Peter denies that he even knows Jesus.
- No one comes to his defense in Jesus’ trial before the high priests and Pontius Pilate
S.K.I.P.S.
S – Sleep during his agony (Gethsemane)
K – Kiss betrayal (Judas)
I – Instantly In flight (they abandon him at arrest)
P – Peter denies knowing him
S – Silent supporters (no one defends him at trial)
page 207
11
Q
How are Jesus’ disciples portrayed in the Gospel of Mark?
S.L.O.W.
A
(mnemonic at the bottom for help with memory)
- Slow to understand - They repeatedly misunderstand Jesus’ teaching and fail to grasp the meaning of his parables and predictions of his suffering
- Lacking faith - They show fear and doubt rather than trust
- Failing at key moments - They fall asleep in Gethsemane, flee when Jesus is arrested, and Peter denies him
- Concerned with status - They argue about who is the greatest, trying to position themselves for power and importance instead of understanding Jesus’ message about service and suffering
S.L.O.W.
S – Slow to understand
L – Lacking faith (fear/doubt)
O – Obsolete (Not working/Failing at key moments)
W – Worried about status
Page 206
12
Q
How did Matthew emphasize the divinity of Jesus?
A
He shows that Jesus isn’t just a prophet like Moses, but that he is greater than Moses and speaks with God’s own authority.
- Jesus is “greater than Moses.” The textbook says Matthew teaches Jesus was not simply “another Moses,” but greater than Moses.
- Matthew says that Jesus has divine authority from God, and that all things have been handed over to Jesus.
- Jesus is indentified as Emmanuel, meaning “God with us,” and Matthew shows Jesus fulfilling Jewish Scripture, emphasizing that his life and actions are part of God’s divine plan.
- Matthew also presents Jesus as the founder of the Church, and after the Great Commission, he gives the Apostles the power to act in his name.
Page 213
13
Q
Whom did Matthew write his Gospel for?
A
Matthew wrote his Gospel mainly for a Jewish-Christian audience, or a community with many believers who saw themselves as both Jewish and Christian.
Page 211
14
Q
How does Matthew’s description of Jesus’ disciples differ from Mark’s description?
A
Matthew paints the disciples in a better light than Mark does.
- In Mark, the disciples are shown as confused, afraid, and failing to understand Jesus. Mark emphasizes their lack of faith and repeated mistakes.
- In Matthew, the disciples still mess up, but Matthew softens it: instead of having “no faith,” he usually calls them “you of little faith”. They misunderstand sometimes, but Matthew shows them learning, growing, and eventually become reliable leaders rather than mostly failing.
Page 210
15
Q
What are the five sermons in the Gospel of Matthew thought to parallel?
A
The five books of the Pentateuch
The five sermons are: “the Sermon on the Mount, the Mission Sermon, the Sermon of Parables, a sermon on sin, forgiveness, and the Church, and the Eschatological Sermon.”
Page 212
16
Q
What evidence from Luke’s Gospel is there that Jesus was literate?
A
In Luke’s Gospel, the clearest evidence that Jesus was literate is the scene in the synagogue on the Sabbath, when he reads from the scroll of Isaiah.
- Luke 4:16–21 says Jesus went into the synagogue, stood up to read, was handed the scroll of the prophet Isaiah, unrolled it, found the passage, read it aloud, then rolled it back up and later explained/interpreted it (“Today this scripture passage is fulfilled…”).
- That whole sequence (reading from a scroll and then interpreting it publicly) showed that Jesus could read (and handle Scripture texts confidently), which is evidence of literacy.
Page 215
17
Q
What are the two major sections of John’s Gospel?
A
- The Book of Signs
- The Book of Glory
Page 221
18
Q
Who is the beloved disciple?
A
The textbook says the Gospel of John is popularly attributed to John the Evangelist (John, brother of James, sons of Zebedee).
- The Gospel itself never names its author. The textbook points out that John’s Gospel never actually says “John wrote this.” Instead, it points to an unnamed figure called “the disciple whom Jesus loved” and quotes John 21:20–24
- “Has written them” doesn’t necessarily mean “handwrote the whole book.” The textbook explains that the phrase can mean “is responsible for” the content, not literally that he personally penned every word (it compares this to Pilate saying “What I have written, I have written” in John 19:22—Pilate likely didn’t physically carve/write the sign himself).
- Why keep him unnamed? Respect + community memory. The book suggests John’s community probably left out his name out of respect for Jesus, but still referred to him as the disciple Jesus loved.
- The Gospel gives internal clues by showing him in key scenes. The textbook walks through at least four appearances of the beloved disciple:
a) At the Last Supper (close to Jesus, showing special favor)
b) At the Cross (the only male disciple present; Jesus entrusts Mary to him)
c) At the empty tomb (runs with Peter; he “sees and believes”) - Conclusion the textbook lands on:
Whoever he was, the beloved disciple was a real disciple and eyewitness and also the founder of the Johannine community, who passed on memories of Jesus. The community likely called him “beloved” because they loved him and believed Jesus must have loved him deeply too, but he wanted to keep the focus on Jesus, not himself.
Page 222
19
Q
Who might Nicodemus represent?
A
People (Christians) who are curious about Jesus but cautious. He comes “at night,” so he can symbolize someone who is interested but afraid of what others will think, due to punishments or reprimands.
Pages 226-227
20
Q
How does John’s Gospel help date the duration of Jesus’ public ministry?
A
John’s Gospel mentions three Passovers (which happen once per year). So, according to John’s Gospel, Jesus’ public ministry was at least three years in length.
Page 224
21
Q
What are the characteristics of a parable?
A
- Convey a religious truth
- Use simple items from everyday life to illustrate complex concepts (e.g., the Kingdom of God, divine forgiveness).
- Encourage deeper thought; not immediately clear, requiring the reader to explore similarities and differences.
- Stimulate reflection.
Mnemonic: CUES -> Convey, Use, Encourage, Stimulate.
Page 205
22
Q
How do the evil spirits respond to Jesus in Mark’s Gospel?
A
Mark portrays the evil spirits as recognizing Jesus’ authority but not always yielding instantly: they can be “slow to obey” him
Page 204
23
Q
How can Jesus say, “before Abraham was, I AM”?
A
In John 8:58, Jesus is doing two things at once (making a statement about his pre-existence and divine identity), both of which sounded explosive to his listeners:
1) Claiming pre-existence
- “Before Abraham was…” already means Jesus is saying he existed before Abraham (who lived ~2,000 years earlier). That alone is a staggering claim for a first-century Jewish teacher, implying that he has always been God even before he was born as a human.
2) Using God’s own self-designation
- Instead of saying, “Before Abraham was, I was,” Jesus says, “Before Abraham was, I AM.”
- The way Jesus phrases this reflects God’s self-revelation to Moses in Exodus, which became closely associated with the divine name for God in Jewish tradition.
- That is why why the crowd’s reaction is immediate: they pick up stones. They understand him not just to be claiming age, but to be placing himself in God’s unique identity (calling himself God), which they consider blasphemous.
How can Jesus say it?
- Within John’s teaching, the answer is: because Jesus is more than a prophet. John presents him as the eternal Word who existed “in the beginning” and “became flesh”. So Jesus can speak as someone who shares our human life but also has divine, eternal existence, since he is God.
24
Q
Name differences between John’s Gospel and the Synoptic Gospels.
A
- John includes “new characters” such as Nicodemus, Lazarus, the man born blind, and the Samaritan woman.
- Longer timeline / more Jerusalem visits: John has Jesus attend three Passovers (not one) and make several trips to Jerusalem for festivals, so Jesus’ public ministry is at least three years in John.
- Teaching style: In John, Jesus teaches mostly through long discourses, not “pithy sayings or parables.”
- Tone and literary style: John is described as “very poetic,” presenting a more solemn and holy Jesus, using techniques like irony, wordplay, metaphors, and figurative language.
- Different emphasis (Kingdom / titles): John focuses on Jesus as God’s Revelation and does not stress the Kingdom of God the way the Synoptics do (the term “Kingdom” appears only twice in John). It also notes different frequencies of titles like “Son of Man” compared with Matthew/Luke.
- Independent sources: The textbook says John does not rely on the Synoptics, but draws on independent traditions preserved in the churches connected to its origin.
- Last Supper difference: Unlike the Synoptics, John does not recount the moment of blessing bread and wine with the words of consecration, but goes deeper on Jesus’ Body and Blood as “real food” and “real drink” (John 6).
- More on love; metaphors vs parables: The textbook highlights John’s distinctive focus on defining love and notes that John’s Jesus teaches with metaphors, unlike the Synoptics’ frequent parables.
Mnemonic: J.O.H.N.
J – Jerusalem journeys & years (3 Passovers; longer ministry)
O – One-of-a-kind people (Nicodemus, Samaritan woman, Lazarus, man born blind)
H – High Christology & holy/poetic style (more direct “who Jesus is,” irony/wordplay/metaphor)
N – Not Synoptic-dependent + Not many Kingdom/parables (independent traditions; fewer “Kingdom” + fewer parables, more discourses)
25
Matthew and Luke's Gospel have Infancy Narratives. What is an infancy narrative in the Gospels? Describe at least two different ways that those two Infancy Narratives are different. Be specific about which Gospel has which difference.
An infancy narrative in the Gospels is the **section that tells the story of Jesus’ origins and earliest life**, especially events around his conception, birth, naming, and early childhood.
Several differences (choose two; mnemonic at the bottom for memory purposes):
1) **_Whose perspective is emphasized_**
* Matthew mainly follows Joseph’s side: Joseph’s dilemma, Joseph’s dreams, Joseph naming Jesus (Mt 1–2).
* Luke mainly follows Mary’s side: the Annunciation to Mary, Mary’s response, Mary visiting Elizabeth, Mary’s song (Lk 1–2).
2) **_How Jesus’ birth is set up_**
* Luke includes the census under Caesar Augustus and Quirinius as the reason Mary and Joseph travel to Bethlehem, plus the manger because there’s “no room” (Lk 2).
* Matthew does not use a census or manger scene; it simply has Jesus born in Bethlehem and later focuses on visitors and threats (Mt 1–2).
3) **_Who visits Jesus_**
* Luke: shepherds visit after angels announce the birth (Lk 2:8–20).
* Matthew: magi/wise men from the East visit, guided by a star, bringing gold, frankincense, and myrrh (Mt 2:1–12).
4) **_Major danger/conflict_**
* Matthew: King Herod tries to kill the child; includes the Massacre of the Innocents and the Flight into Egypt (Mt 2:13–18).
* Luke: no massacre or flight into Egypt; instead you get peaceful temple scenes like Simeon and Anna (Lk 2:22–38).
5) **_Lineage difference: Abraham vs. Adam_**
* Matthew’s genealogy (Mt 1:1–17) traces Jesus’ line back to Abraham (through David). Point: Jesus is the Jewish Messiah—rooted in Israel’s covenant history (Abraham → David → Messiah).
* Luke’s genealogy (Lk 3:23–38) traces Jesus’ line all the way back to Adam (and then to God). Point: Jesus is Savior for all humanity, not only Israel (Adam = father of the whole human race).
## Footnote
Quick mnemonic: M.A.G.I. vs S.H.E.P.
_Matthew = M.A.G.I._
**M**agi visit
**A**braham genealogy (starts with Abraham)
**G**o to Egypt (flight into Egypt)
**I**n Joseph’s dreams (Joseph-centered)
_Luke = S.H.E.P._
**S**hepherds visit
**H**eirress (Mary/women centered)
**E**veryone / Earth (genealogy back to Adam; universal)
**P**eaceful temple scenes
26
Exactly why did the disciples get a boat ready for Jesus when he wanted to preach to the people? How did a boat help him specifically?
**In Mark, Jesus has the disciples prep a boat for crowd control and safety.**
* Mark says Jesus told them to have a boat ready “because of the crowd, so that they would not crush him" (the people were pressing in on him).
* A little later Mark describes the setup: the crowd stays on the shore, and Jesus teaches from the boat—“he got into a boat on the sea and sat down… and the whole crowd was beside the sea on land.”
* So, the boat helped by creating space between Jesus and the crowd (so he wouldn’t be mobbed/crushed) and so Jesus could sit and speak from one spot while everyone faced him from the land.
* Additionally, being offshore made it easier for people to see and hear him.
27
Jesus sends out the 12 apostles.
**A.** What exactly are they to take with them?
**B.** What are they to not take with them?
**C.** How will they pay for their food and lodging?
**A.** **_What they are to take:_**
* A walking stick / staff
* Sandals
* One tunic (since they’re told not to take a second one)
**B.** **_What they are not to take:_**
* No food/bread
* No sack/bag
* No money in their belts
* No second tunic
**C.** **_How they will “pay” for food and lodging_**
* They don’t bring money, but live by hospitality. Jesus tells them:
“Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave from there.”
* So, the expectation is that the household that receives them will feed and house them while they minister there.
28
**A.** What does Jesus tell the disciples about how they will be treated?
**B.** Why did the disciples follow Jesus after he told them that they would be haten, beaten, and killed?
A. **_What Jesus tells them about how they’ll be treated_**
* Across the Gospels, Jesus warns the disciples to expect rejection and persecution:
* Arrest + trials: they’ll be handed over to councils, beaten/flogged, and made to stand before governors and kings.
* Betrayal + death: even family and friends will betray them, and some will be put to death.
* Hatred: “everyone will hate you” because they belong to Jesus.
B. **_Why follow Jesus anyway, if he tells them that?_**
* Jesus promises “life” on the other side of losing life. He says the disciple who “loses” life for him and the gospel will “save” it.
* He promises eternal reward even with persecution. Leaving everything for Jesus leads to a new “family” now and “eternal life” later.
* Jesus ties faithful endurance under hatred/persecution to being saved/winning life.
29
Jesus told them to love their neighbor. Explain how Jesus answered their question "Who is my neighbor?" by telling them the Good Samaritan story. Summarize the story and explain how it answers the question.
**In Luke 10, someone asks Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus answers with the parable of the Good Samaritan to show that “neighbor” isn’t just “people like me” or “people in my group, but rather it’s anyone in need, including our enemies (like the Samaritan).**
**_Summary of the Story_**
* A man is traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho and gets robbed, beaten, and left half-dead.
* A priest comes by, sees him, and passes by.
* A Levite (another religious helper) also sees him and passes by (it is presumed they pass by to the Temple and don't want to become unclean).
* A Samaritan (someone Jews disliked and avoided) sees him and has compassion.
* The Samaritan treats his wounds (oil and wine), puts him on his own animal, takes him to an inn, pays for his care and promises to cover more if needed.
* Jesus then asks: not “Which people count as neighbors?” but “Which one proved to be a neighbor?”
* The answer: the one who showed mercy.
* Jesus finishes: “Go and do likewise.”
**_Jesus flips the whole idea:_**
* The priest and Levite represent someone defined by categories (status, purity rules, convenience, safety, prejudice).
* The Samaritan represents a “neighbor” defined by mercy and compassion.
* We are all people deserving of respect and kindness. Looking down and refusing to help people because of prejudice and/or societal laws is unacceptable. The Samaritan (who, to a Jewish audience, was unexpected to be the "hero") proves that everyone is capable of good.
* So, Jesus’ point is: Your neighbor is not limited to friends, your people, or those you think “deserve” help. **Your neighbor is any person you encounter who needs mercy, even an enemy or outsider.** And you fulfill “love your neighbor” not by debating boundaries, but by choosing to become a neighbor through compassionate action.
30
Contrast the Beatitudes in Matthew with the Beatitudes found in Luke. What are two ways that they are different? Why are they different?
1) **_How many + whether there are “woes”_**
* Matthew (Mt 5:3–12) gives a longer set of Beatitudes (often counted as 8/9) and does not add matching “woes.”
* Luke (Lk 6:20–26) gives 4 Beatitudes (“Blessed are you…”) and then immediately adds 4 “woes” (“Woe to you who are rich…filled now…laugh now…when all speak well of you”).
2) **_Spiritual emphasis vs. concrete economic_**
* Matthew: “Blessed are the poor in spirit…” and “hunger and thirst for righteousness…”: more “interior/spiritual” wording; can be vaguely interpreted to mean many things
* Luke: “Blessed are you who are poor… hungry now… weeping now…”: more direct about real-life conditions, and it is more directly "attacking" those with material means who don't help the suffering.
* Luke’s Beatitudes/woes highlight “real economic and social conditions,” while Matthew emphasizes “religious and spiritual values.”
**_Why are they different?_**
* The evangelists shape Jesus’ teaching for their audiences and themes:
* Luke’s sermon is shorter partly because Matthew includes material tied to “specifically Jewish Christian problems” that Luke didn’t need for his largely Gentile audience.
31
**A.** Why did Jesus, Mary, and Joseph go to Egypt after Jesus' birth?
**B.** Why did they return to Galilee two years later?
**A) _Why did they go to Egypt after Jesus’ birth?_**
* Because Joseph was warned in a dream that Herod was going to search for the child to kill him, so Joseph took Mary and Jesus and fled to Egypt to protect Jesus
**B) _Why did they return to Galilee about two years later?_**
* They returned after Herod died, again because an angel told Joseph in a dream it was safe to go back.
* But when Joseph learned that Archelaus (Herod’s son) was ruling in Judea, he was afraid to settle there, so he was warned again and went to Galilee, living in Nazareth.
32
Matthew writes about Jesus' baptism he notes that "Pharisees and Sadducees" were coming for baptism. When Luke writes about this he does not mention Pharisees and Sadducees. Explain why Matthew writes about the Pharisees and Sadducees and Luke does not.
Matthew includes the Pharisees and Sadducees to show the religious authority, curiosity, and opposition to Jesus, which is relevant for his **primarily Jewish audience**. In contrast, Luke's audience is more **Gentile**, and he focuses on the broader message of repentance and inclusion without emphasizing these specific groups.
33
The Lord's Prayer: Jesus tells us not to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners.
**A.** Why not?
**B.** (Matthew 6:12) Jesus teaches us (in the Lord's Prayer) to ask for God to forgive us as we have forgiven others. What happens to us if we don't forgive others?
**A.** **_Why not stand and pray in synagogues / street corners?_**
* Because Jesus says some people do that to be seen and admired (“to win human praise”). It turns prayer into a performance. In Matthew 6:5–6, he calls that hypocrisy and says they’ve already gotten their “reward” (people’s attention), instead of seeking God.
**B)** **_If we don’t forgive others, what happens to us?_**
* Right after the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus explains it plainly (Matthew 6:14–15):
* If you forgive others, your Father will forgive you.
* If you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.
34
**A.** According to Jesus, if a member of the church sins against you, what are you supposed to do first?
**B.** If you are not listened to, what are the next two steps that you should take?
**A) _First step (Mt 18:15)_**
* If a fellow member of the church sins against you, go and tell the person his/her fault privately (one-on-one), "between you and him alone.” The goal is to win your brother/sister back.
**B) _If you’re not listened to: next two steps (Mt 18:16–17)_**
* Take one or two others with you, so that “every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses.”
* If the person still refuses to listen, tell it to the church (the community).
35
In the "Judgment of the nations," Jesus tells us to specifically help the naked, the sick, the hungry, and the imprisoned.
**A.** What does he say will happen to us if we do not do these things?
**B.** Name three specific things you, as a cadet at STA, can do to help the naked, the hungry, and the sick.
**A) _What happens if we don’t do these things? (Matthew 25:31–46)_**
* Jesus says that those who refused to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, care for the sick, and visit the imprisoned will hear:
* “Depart from me…” (they are separated from him), because “What you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.” (Mt 25:45). And, they go away to “eternal punishment” (Mt 25:46).
**B)** **_Three specific things we can do as an STA student_**
_To help the naked (clothing needs):_
* Run or join a hoodie/coat + socks/underwear drive at school (those are the most-needed items at shelters).
* Pack “dignity bags” (new socks, deodorant, toothbrush/paste, wipes) and donate them to a local shelter/church pantry in Mendota.
_To help the hungry:_
* Volunteer at a food pantry or meal-packing event (or organize a class “bring one item” week), then deliver everything to a local pantry.
* Super specific: collect peanut butter, canned protein, pasta, rice, and cereal (essentials) for specific grade levels.
_To help the sick:_
* Do something concrete for someone who’s sick: make a “get well” card bundle for a hospital/nursing home, or organize a small group to visit a nursing home to talk, play games, read to residents, play music.
36
Explain the story of the man who goes to his friend to ask for three loaves of bread? Which character represents God in this story? What does Jesus teach about God and us by telling this story?
**_The story (Friend at Midnight)_**
* A man has a guest arrive late at night, but he has nothing to set before him. So he goes to a friend/neighbor at midnight and asks, “Lend me three loaves.”
* The friend inside says, basically, “Don’t bother me the door is locked and my family is in bed.” But Jesus says the neighbor will finally get up and give him what he needs because of his persistence (his bold, shameless insistence).
**_Which character represents God?_**
* The friend behind the locked door (the one being asked for bread) is the “God” figure in the comparison, or the one you go to with your request.
* But the point is not that God is annoyed like that neighbor. It’s a “how much more” argument: if even a sleepy, reluctant human will respond, how much more will God respond.
**_What Jesus teaches about God and us_**
* Jesus uses the story to teach us to be persistent/bold in prayer (“keep knocking”), even when it feels like the door is closed.
* God is a good Father, not a grudging neighbor: “ask…seek…knock,” and God gives good gifts. The Father gives the Holy Spirit to those who ask.
37
In the story of the lost sheep, whom exactly do the lost sheep represent? Briefly explain the story of the Prodigal Son. What is Jesus teaching us when he tells the story of the Prodigal (Lost) Son?
**_Lost Sheep: who do the “lost sheep” represent?_**
* The lost sheep represents a sinner, or someone who has wandered away from God (the “one” who is missing).
* In Luke 15, Jesus tells it because the Pharisees and scribes are complaining that he welcomes “tax collectors and sinners,” so the lost sheep especially points to those people who are seen as “outsiders” or “bad,” but who God wants back, and the joy in heaven when even one sinner repents.
**_Brief story of the Prodigal (Lost) Son (Luke 15:11–32)_**
* A younger son demands his inheritance early, leaves home, and wastes it in reckless living.
* When he’s broke and starving, he decides to return home, planning to beg to be treated like a hired worker.
* The father runs to him, embraces him, restores him (robe, ring, sandals), and throws a celebration.
* The older son gets angry and refuses to join the party, complaining it’s unfair.
* The father explains: we must rejoice, because your brother was “dead and has come to life…lost and has been found.”
**_What Jesus is teaching with the Prodigal Son_**
* God is like the father: eager to forgive, restore, and celebrate when the lost return.
* Repentance matters: the turning-back is real, but God’s mercy is bigger than the sin.
* A warning to the “older brother” attitude: don’t resent God’s mercy toward others; self-righteousness can keep you outside the joy even while you’re “near” the father.
* The right response to a sinner’s return is welcome and joy, not grudging punishment.
38
In John's Gospel, Jesus walks through Samaria and speaks to a Samaritan woman at a well there. It was not okay for Jesus to do that, both because she was a woman and because she was a Samaritan. Give reasons for both of these rules. Be specific about why the Jews did not like the Samaritans.
1) **_Why it “wasn’t okay” to talk with her because she was a woman_**
* In that culture, a religious/social norm discouraged a man, especially a religious teacher, from having a public conversation with a woman (particularly alone), because it could look improper or be seen as a distraction from religious seriousness (women were also seen as inferior to men).
* _John notes that the disciples were surprised Jesus was “talking with a woman_.”
2) **_Why it “wasn’t okay” because she was a Samaritan_**
* Jews and Samaritans had centuries of hostility and major religious disagreement.
* Jews disliked Samaritans for basically letting the Assyrian Empire walk all over them.
* Samaritans (women) were regarded as ritually impure, so Jews were forbidden to drink from a vessel they had handled, which is exactly what Jesus asks for (a drink).
* Also, it was specifically written in Jewish law that you could not cross the borders to Samaria, or you would become impure. Not only did Jesus cross borders, but he directly talked to a Samarian woman.
Scripture 9 - STA
flashcards
Decks in class (4)
# Cards
