Bible Question:
Hi Makarios, thks for helping me to answer all the question.As a very young christian of me, many time I find it differcult of understanding of His words and always had doubts whether is it truth what the Bible has written.Here attach with more questions on John 20:1-31. 1.How would you react if a friend told you he had seen someone raised from the dead? 2.Why is it important to you that Jesus rose from the dead? Could you still believe in him if he had died and we could visit his tomb? 3.What important details do we learn from each one(vv.1-9)as John identifies three witnesses to the empty tomb: Mary Magdalene, Peter and John(himself)? 4.Why is it important to prove the tomb was empty? 5.Why do you think Mary Magdalene doesn't immediately recognize Jesus(vv.10-15)as John records three appearances of the risen Christ: to Mary Magdalene, to his disciples and to Thomas? After she does recognize him, what impresses you most about their encounter(vv.16-18)? 6.When Jesus appears to his disciples, what specific gifts and promises does he give them(vv.19-23)? What do you think is the significance of each gift or promises? 7.Finally, Jesus appears to Thomas(vv.24-29). How does Thomas's attitude-both before and after Jesus appears to him-add credibility to the resurrection? 8.How does Thomas's exclamation "My Lord and my God"(v.28) provide a fitting climax to John's Gospel? 9.What can we learn from Jesus' encounter with Thomas about helping people who have doubts about the Christian message? 10.On what evidence do you base your belief that Jesus rose from the dead? 11.Is believing that Jesus rose from the dead as important as believing that he died on the cross for our sins? Can you please explain why or why not. 12.Which have been most convincing to you, and why as John tells us why he has written his Gospel in v.30 and 31. Of all the "miraculous signs" John has included. 13.Who is someone you can tell about Jesus and his resurrection? Blessed to you and your wife. Makarios |
Bible Answer: Greetings Dfww65! I pray that the Lord continues to guide you in discipleship! 1. It would be very exciting! But I would ask about all of the details and circumstances to confirm that the Lord actually raised someone that I might know from the dead. 2. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is the bedrock of the Christian faith. Only in believing in Jesus as the Son of God and in His Resurrection do we have access to the grace of God (Romans 5:8,15) and are saved (Romans 1:16) because of that grace (Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:1-10). I strongly suggest that you dwell on this question of grace and salvation and how it is related to Christ and His Resurrection by searching through the New Testament. 3. Mary Magdalene immediately notices that there is no body to be found in the tomb. She then runs to tell the disciples, because she believes that the body was perhaps taken away (vv. 2,13), but is later told by the Lord Himself (vv. 14-18) that He indeed had risen! When Peter and John get there (John outruns Peter and gets there first), John first notices the linen wrappings and then enters the tomb after Peter, and then believed (v. 8) that Jesus was resurrected. Peter also notices the burial face-cloth lying in a place by itself. Then they left, and Mary Magdalene stayed, weeping, and sees the angels, and then the risen Lord Himself! Jesus appears to her first, and then appears later to the rest of the disciples (vv. 19-29). It is of importance to note that John picks this place to state the reason for writing his gospel. 4. It is important to prove that the tomb was empty of any body because Jesus had a 'bodily' resurrection. It wasn't just a spirit or spiritual resurrection, but Jesus Himself, body and all, was risen from the dead! And only God Himself could have raised Him bodily from the grave. 5. Actually, the risen Jesus was not recognized a number of times (John 21:4; Matt. 28:17; Luke 24:16,37). He might have looked a bit differently; or perhaps, He may have intentionally prevented recognition, at least at first. What impresses me the most about the encounter with Mary Magdalene is that the compassion and love of Jesus is boundless: He first comforted Mary who was mourning (after the other two disciples left) before appearing to the other disciples in the evening. 6. Jesus breathes on them and tells them to "Receive the Holy Spirit" (v. 22), thus anticipating what will happen 50 days later on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2). He reassures them that He has indeed risen from the grave. 7. It adds credibility because Thomas - who was skeptical and completely in doubt (v. 25) - was completely changed, and his attitude and opinion totally reversed in v. 28 when he, himself, confirmed by saying "My Lord and my God!" that Jesus had, in fact, risen from the dead. 8. The exclamation of Thomas is followed immediately by what John wrote in verses 30-31, "but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name." 9. We can give them proof through Scripture that there was one who was completely in doubt, and even he, when seeing and examining the risen Lord for himself, came to believe the truth. Through Scripture, we, as disciples of Jesus, can provide answers to all doubts about Christianity. 10. There is too little room here to answer this question in its fullest extent. My life, things that have happened in my life, answered prayer, faith, nature; those things are a good start! 11. Yes, believing that Jesus rose from the dead is JUST AS important as believing that Jesus died on the cross for our sins. Paul answers this in 1 Corinthians 15:12-21. 12. John always refers to Jesus' miracles as "signs," a word emphasizing the significance of the action rather than the marvel (see 4:54; 6:14; 9:16; 11:47). They revealed Jesus' glory (see 1:14; Isaiah 35:1-2; Joel 3:18; Amos 9:13). Aside from the Resurrection, I have always enjoyed the feeding of the 5,000 (John 6), because it is mentioned in every Gospel. 13. Everyone! :-) Blessings to you, Makarios |