Richard A Burridge

Before Abraham Was, I Am This dialogue is set at the end of the Feast of Tabernacles, with its ceremony of light and Jesus’ claim, ‘I am the light of the world’ (8:12)…

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John The People's Commentary - Who Is Your Father?

by BRF - Richard A. Burridge

Who Is Your Father? The debate between Jesus and his opponents has moved beyond Moses to the father of Judaism, Abraham. A son remains in his father’s house forever and his paternity is revealed in his actions…

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John The People's Commentary - The Truth Will Make You Free

by BRF - Richard A. Burridge

The Truth Will Make You Free The debate at the end of the Feast of Tabernacles continues between Jesus and “the Jews”. As often, his hearers are divided. Many of them have come to believe in him and he now addresses those believers (8:30–31)…

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John The People's Commentary - Who Are You?

by BRF - Richard A. Burridge

Who Are You? Jesus’ claim to be the light of life has sparked another round of debate about his identity, his origins and parentage. Now we move to his final purpose and destination…

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John The People's Commentary - I Am The Light of the World

by BRF - Richard A. Burridge

I Am The Light of the World Jesus chose his moment to go to Jerusalem and teach at the Feast of Tabernacles. During that Feast’s ceremony of drawing water, he announced that he is the source of the living water…

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John The People's Commentary - The Woman Taken in Adultery

by BRF - Richard A. Burridge

The Woman Taken in Adultery This famous story is not without problems. Some Bible versions put it in a footnote, while others include it, but note that it interrupts the flow of the story…

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John The People's Commentary - No One Ever Spoke like This Man

by BRF - Richard A. Burridge

No One Ever Spoke like This Man Jesus’ claims to transcend the Sabbath and feasts like Passover and Tabernacles and to replace their perishable bread and water with his living bread and water have provoked speculation among his hearers…

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John The People's Commentary - Come To Me & Drink

by BRF - Richard A. Burridge

Come To Me & Drink Jesus chose his moment to start teaching in the middle of the Feast of Tabernacles. He provoked mixed reactions, with some seeking to arrest him while others believe (7:30–31)…

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John The People's Commentary - Jesus' Authority & Identity

by BRF - Richard A. Burridge

Jesus' Authority & Identity Having answered the question about why he does not quote other authorities for his teaching, Jesus goes on the offensive by directing his hearers’ attention back to the ultimate authority—Moses himself (7:19)…

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John The People's Commentary - Teaching in Jerusalem

by BRF - Richard A. Burridge

Teaching in Jerusalem Jesus’ brothers were not the only ones who were expecting him to make a public showing at the festival…

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John The People's Commentary - Times & Places

by BRF - Richard A. Burridge

Times & Places This chapter begins with Jesus ‘walking about’ in Galilee (7:1). The verb, periepatei, describes the ‘peripatetic’ life Jesus lived as a wandering teacher and preacher…

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John The People's Commentary - The Scriptures & Moses

by BRF - Richard A. Burridge

The Scriptures & Moses Chapter 5 has given us a good example of how John weaves together signs, dialogues and discourse to develop his story of Jesus. The sign of healing the paralysed man on the Sabbath led to accusations about Jesus’ work and his claims, which have then been te…

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John The People's Commentary - Bearing Witness

by BRF - Richard A. Burridge

Bearing Witness So far Jesus has made some claims through his signs, which have then been challenged by “the Jews”. He has repeated the claims directly through this discourse, arguing that he shares in God’s activity of giving life and judgment both in the present now and in the …

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John The People's Commentary - The Son Gives Life & Judges

by BRF - Richard A. Burridge

The Son Gives Life & Judges We now come to the first of the ‘discourses’ common in this gospel, sections of teaching delivered by Jesus. Speeches were used not just in ancient biography, but also in history writing to help readers understand the true meaning of what was happening…

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The Sabbath & Jesus' Claims

by BRF - Richard A. Burridge

The Sabbath & Jesus' Claims This day is not only ‘a festival of “the Jews”’, but also a Sabbath (5:1, 9b). So “the Jews” notice the man carrying his bed on the Sabbath and accuse him of doing something unlawful (5:10)…

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John The People's Commentary - Healing an Official's Son

by BRF - Richard A. Burridge

Healing an Official's Son After all the excitement in Samaria, Jesus finally returns to Galilee (4:43). Although the Galileans welcomed him, it was only because they had seen what he had done at the festival in Jerusalem (4:45)…

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John The People's Commentary - Food and Harvests

by BRF - Richard A. Burridge

Food & Harvests The woman has gone, but her abandoned water pot is a silent reminder to the disciples that their rabbi was talking with a woman, a Samaritan and a sinner, openly in the middle of the day…

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John The People's Commentary - Prophet or Messiah?

by BRF - Richard A. Burridge

Prophet or Messiah? As the story unfolds, Jesus has gently led the woman to a greater understanding of who he is, from her initial ignorance (4:9) to calling him ‘sir’ (4:11, 15); as he confronted her with the facts of her life, she began to wonder if he might be greater than Jac…

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