True North Church, where I serve, is working through a series entitled Questioning Jesus*. Essentially Jon, the pastor I serve with, was curious one day about how many, and what type of questions Jesus asked in the gospels.
So we took his list and decided to lead the church through some of the questions.
What I've found interesting, is that each question opens up hundreds of questions within me. Questions for Jesus. Questions for the author of the text. Questions for the disciples or the ones who respond to Jesus' question/s.
So, this coming Sunday I will exploring with the church the question Jesus asks the Twelve after the crowds and larger circle of disciples leave in response to the Bread of Life Discourse (John 6); "Are you also going to leave?"
Here are some of my questions as I try to map out the ebb and flow of the message:
- with what tone did Jesus ask this questions? was it a pity-filled, whoa-is-me, everyone left me kinda question? was it an angry how-dare-they-leave-me question daring the final twelve to leave too? or some other tone?
- what does it mean to "eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood" by which Jesus say we have eternal life?
- what does it mean that John's would include this conversation, which the other gospels ignore, yet exclude any Eucharist presentation in the four chapters dedicated to the last supper; & what does it mean that John excludes Peter's great confession, and does the confession to Jesus' question in John 6:67 compare?
- what specifically seperates the Twelve from the disciples that left? both groups saw the feeding of the 5000; i assume only the twelve were on the boat and saw Jesus walk on water and calm the sea. Is that why Peter answers the way he does?
- why does Judas remain with Jesus at this point? surely he could have snuck out at this time.
- how do I interact with this text and this question?
I'd love to hear any of your thoughts and questions.
* I like the tension in this title that suggests maybe we are the ones questioning Jesus, only to realize that Jesus had some questions of us.
1 comment:
I hear Jesus' tone in this question as one of a "are you going to give up that easily, too?" Almost that parent voice of "you're stronger than this!"
The verses before seem as though Jesus is a little exasperated, as if to say, "Seriously? You still don't get it? After all of this?"
Maybe this is unhelpful, I just thought I'd share my opinion.
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