| Using
Greek for Sunday Text Preparations
Exegetical Considerations
John
1:43-51
2nd
Sunday after Epiphany/ January 19, 2003
1.
What is the literary context of this passage?
a.
In particular, how does the story of the call of the two
disciples and the pattern of Testimony—Identity—Following—Bringing
in vv. 35-42 impact a reading of this text?
2.
How does finding empower finding through the use of
heuriskô in vv. 43,45?
3.
How does Philip describe Jesus in theological and social
terms in v. 45?
a.
How is the former correct and the latter incorrect from the
perspective of John’s story?
4.
For John, why is full theological knowledge and insight into
Jesus never a prerequisite for discipleship and faith?
5.
What is the significance of the emphatic position of
ek Nazaret in v. 46?
a.
How is this fully ironical in John’s story?
6.
How is evangelism imaged as testimony and invitation in this
story and throughout John’s narrative?
7.
How is Nathaniel not a shady character even though Jesus has
seen him sitting under a fig tree?
8.
What is the significance of Nathaniel’s declaration regarding
Jesus in v. 49?
a.
How does this help establish an ongoing pattern of
theological declaration throughout John’s story?
9.
What is the significance of the switch from 2nd
person singular (opsēi ) in v. 50 to 2nd
person plural (opsesthe) in v. 51?
10.
How does v. 51 echo Dan. 7 and Gen 28?
a.
How will this imagery be used again in John 3:13-14?
b.
In light of this connection, what will the greater things to
be seen entail in John’s story?
11.
What is this text saying about intentional missional outreach
by the church in the 21st century?
|
