During the summer study, National Bible Bee participants will be memorizing passages of Scripture, along with studying their Discovery Journal and study passage. Today we’ll go through some of these passages, looking at context, to see what we can glean from them.
John 8:31-32
Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, if ye continue in my word then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Directly before this passage, Jesus was talking to a crowd of people including the Pharisees, telling them about how He is the light of the world, and explaining how He was the Son of God, and sent from the Father. He then tells the Jews that believed in Him to continue in his word in order to be his disciples. The greek word for continue is “meno”, meaning to abide or remain. His disciples will then know the truth, and the truth will set them free. The Jews then ask Jesus what it means to be set free? Jesus explains that anyone who sins is the servant of sin, but that He (the Son) and His truth will set us free if we will be His disciples.
John 12:12-16
On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the king of Israel that cometh forth in the name of the Lord. And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written, fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy king cometh, sitting on an ass’s colt. These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him.
The context of this passage tells how Jesus came to Bethany, and had dinner with Mary, Martha and Lazarus: and how Mary anointed His feet with spikenard. The day after that, Jesus found a young donkey, and rode it into Jerusalem. And when the people found out that He was coming, they met Him with palm tree branches: and they shouted Hosanna, which according to Easton’s Bible Dictionary translates to “Save now!” or “save, we beseech”. And they blessed Him as the king of Israel, coming in the name of the Lord. This all happened so that the prophecy from Zechariah 9:9 would come true where it says, “Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey”.
Psalm 118:22-26
The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. This is the LORD’S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes. This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, send now prosperity. Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD.
The stone which the builders refused is a prophecy referring to Jesus. In Acts 4, Peter and John are arrested and put on trial, because in the previous chapter they had healed a lame beggar, and Peter had preached a powerful sermon. In the trial the priests wanted to know by what power they healed the lame man. Peter tells them that it is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, who they crucified, who God raised from the dead; that the man was made whole. He goes on to say that Jesus is the stone that the builders cast away, but that has become the head of the corner: and that there is no other name in this world that can save us. In construction, a corner stone is a stone that is placed at the corner, where two walls meet; and it basically stops the walls from falling over. So the Bible is saying that Jesus is our cornerstone, and that without him, our lives will fall apart.
John 13:13-17
Ye call me Master and Lord: and we say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happier are ye if ye do them.
In the context of this passage, Jesus is having passover with His disciples and after they had eaten, He washed His disciples’ feet. After He was done, He acknowledges that He is their master and Lord, and tells them that if He, their Lord, would go so low as to wash their feet: they should wash each other’s feet. Now, in that time people wore sandals, and as a result, their feet became quite disgusting at times. Because of this, foot washing was a must before a communal meal, and it was generally reserved for the lowliest of servants. So Jesus, by washing His disciples feet: demonstrates amazing humility, and tells us to do likewise. He’s not saying to go around washing everyone’s feet. What He is saying is that no one should be too good to serve others with humility.
Jeremiah 7:8-11
Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit. Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not; and come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name and say, we are delivered to do all these abominations? Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the LORD.
This chapter is talking about the house of God; and that if we stop sinning, God will let us live there. It says that if we live in the house of God but keep on sinning, we have made the house of God into a den of thieves. In Matthew 21 as Jesus is cleansing the temple, He references this passage and says, “it is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves”. God wants us in his house, he wants us to worship him. But what he doesn’t want is for us to use his forgiveness as a license to keep on sinning.
John 14:1-6
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the father, but by me.
In the previous chapter, Jesus told His disciples that one of them would betray Him, and after indicating Judas, He told Peter that Peter would deny Jesus three times. But to comfort them, Jesus tells them how He is going to His Father’s house to prepare a place for them: and that He will come again, and when He does, He will take them to His Father’s house. He then tells us that the only way to get to His Fathers house is through Him.
Joel 2:10-14
The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining: and the LORD shall utter his voice before his army: for hic camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; and who can abide it? Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting and with weeping, and with mourning: And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. Who knoweth if he will return and repent and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God?
This chapter is telling us about the day of the Lord that is coming, and mentions a lot of terrible things that will happen when God comes. But then it goes on to say that the Lord is gracious, merciful, slow to anger, full of kindness. God is a giver of second chances: and if we repent we can still be saved,
We’ve seen that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. If we abide in him, we will know his truth, and his truth will set us free. Jesus has gone to prepare a mansion for us, He wants us in His house if only we will repent of our sins, and accept His free gift of eternal life. What a wonderful, powerful, marvelous God we serve!
Written by NBB Alumnus: Philip Minica
