John 11:45-57, John 18:1-14 Survival In John’s gospel the moment the Jewish authorities decided they need to kill Jesus comes after the raising of Lazarus1. The reason for this course of action is that Jesus’ action caused many Jews who witnessed it to believe in him. Who wouldn’t? Raising someone from the dead is a miracle many would find hard …
Revolutionary Threads : Clearing the Temple
Mark 11:15-18, Matthew 21:12-17, Luke 19:45-48, John 2:13-23 Two or One The clearing of the temple occurs in all the gospel accounts. There is an issue with this, in that the three synoptic gospels1 have this happening in the later stages of Jesus’ ministry and in the lead up to his death whereas John’s gospel has it at the very …
Revolutionary Threads : According to the Scriptures
1 Corinthians 15:1-11, Luke 24:19-27, Acts 8:26-40, Acts 17:1-3 ‘What Does Athens have to do with Jerusalem?’ The above quote is found in the works of Tertullian, an early Church Father from Carthage in Africa.1 He had seen a trend in Christian theology to try and marry together the ideas of Greek philosophy with those contained in scripture and he …
Revolutionary Threads : Revolution
Genesis 2:4-17, Matthew 26:55-56, Luke 23:1-24, 1 Corinthians 1:18-31, Revelation 22:1-5 Between Two Trees Genesis 2 gives us a description of the Garden of Eden and tells of the Tree of Life that sits within it. In Revelation 22 we have another description of God’s kingdom in which the Tree of Life is again mentioned, this time at the centre …
Revolutionary Threads : The Cross
The cross has been used as a symbol since the dawn of time due to its simplicity. It has been thought to represent two sticks used to create fire when rubbed together or the intersecting of the Sun with the earth as it rises and sets. Its significance for Christians is not linked to these early line drawings but to …
Revolutionary Threads : Lent 2017
Introduction The cross looms large over the Christian faith. It is the central symbol adopted by the faith and has been used in many ways through the two millennia since Jesus death. It is also for many the object that causes the most questions and at times confusion. Why the cross? Why did Jesus have to die? What happened that …