Barton's Bible Study Notes

Life of Christ: Unit 4 - Sections 24-27

Read John 1:15-51. It is often assumed that the disciples whom Jesus called to be the twelve apostles were called by Him suddenly without much warning or prior contact. That was probably not the case. Some of the apostles were disciples of John before they became disciples of our Lord. John had taught them and had prepared them for the coming Messiah. The events in John 1:15 and following occurred after Jesus was baptized by John and led into the wilderness to fast and be tempted by Satan. Our Lord had returned to the area in which John was ministering. John had answered some of the questions by the religious leaders of the day as to who he was and the source of his authority when he again encountered our Lord. We are told John was with two of his disciples when he saw Jesus again. One of these disciples is identified as Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter.

1. Who do you think the other unidentified follower of John was?

2. When Jesus says to Phillip, “Follow Me.” What do you think He meant?

3. When Nathanael says to Jesus, “You are the Son of God...” what did he mean?

4. Jesus calls Himself “the Son of Man.” What does this title signify?

Read John 2:1-12. Before Jesus went back to His hometown, He stopped at a wedding. A Jewish wedding of this day lasted longer than ours today. The wedding feast was a celebration that often lasted several days to a week. It was a very special time, not only for the two people who were being wed but the families who were uniting as well. Mary, our Lord’s mother, was helping with the wedding. She might have been a relative of theirs or at least a close friend but she was not in charge. This duty was that of the head waiter or master of ceremonies, as we would call him today. But she did have quite a bit of authority, as indicated by her request of Jesus, her son, and her instructions to the servants.

5. What was the problem at the wedding?

6. Why do you think Mary asked Jesus to help?

7. What do you think Jesus meant when He said to His mother, “Woman, what do I have to do with you, My time is not yet come?”

8. How did Jesus solve the problem at the wedding?

9. What did John note about this miracle?

The Applications:

What are the applications of these passages to our lives today? Identify as many as you are able.