teacher’s MANUAL

ContentsAbout 10:10 .................................................................................................................................................... 4

Introduction Who was John? ..................................................................................................................10

Chapter 1 First things first .................................................................................................................15

John 1:1–14

Chapter 2 Reading the signs .............................................................................................................25

John 2:1–11

Chapter 3 The answer is blowing in the wind ...........................................................................35

John 3:1–16

Chapter 4 Satisfaction guaranteed ................................................................................................45

John 4:1–26

Chapter 5 All you can eat! ..................................................................................................................55

John 6:1–15, 30–35

Chapter 6 Seeing is believing ...........................................................................................................65

John 9:1–11

Chapter 7 Someone worth following ............................................................................................75

John 10:1–18

Chapter 8 True life .................................................................................................................................85

John 11:1–46

Chapter 9 Making history ..................................................................................................................95

John 19:1–30, 41–42

Chapter 10 Defeating death ............................................................................................................. 105

John 20:1–20, 24–31

10:10 | 3

About 10:10Welcome to the 10:10 Teacher’s manual.

This publication is written for teachers of senior students – roughly years 10–12. It is designed to accompany 10:10 student magazine.

10:10 seeks to present the truths of John’s gospel to students in a fresh and exciting way. The new magazine-style format of the student handbook enables students to engage with biblical truths in a genre that is typically familiar to youth.

A casual and flexible learning environment in the classroom is encouraged so that students can interact freely with the material and discuss topics which are relevant both to them and to the Bible. Small groups are strongly recommended to help students to process the ideas in each chapter.

This unit forms part of the range of high school resources developed for Christian Studies in independent schools and Special Religious Education in State schools. The material could easily be used in other contexts such as Youth groups or Camping curriculum.

All Christian Education Publications are grounded in the belief that God is the source of all truth and his Word, the Bible, is where God reveals himself and his saving purposes. God has acted in Christ to achieve his saving purposes for humanity.

CEP high school resources aim to help students grow in their understanding of the Christian faith, to respond to the claims of Christ and to grapple with how to apply their faith to life.

CEP high school resources cover the following six aspects of the Christian Studies program assisting students to:

Engage with the BibleStudents will be helped to read, understand and learn to apply the Bible to their lives and will be introduced to the concepts of biblical theology.

Know the gospelStudents will learn about the life and teaching of Jesus, come to appreciate the significance of his death and resurrection and consider their own response to him.

Examine different worldviewsIn a safe and supportive environment students will be encouraged to question, discuss and evaluate critically other worldviews and practices.

Learn about their Christian heritageStudents will have the opportunity to learn about key events and people who have impacted history as they have put their faith into action.

Examine ethical issuesStudents will be encouraged to see the relationship between faith and behaviour as they examine a range of personal and public ethical issues.

Have opportunity for personal spiritual growthStudents will be encouraged to grow in their personal knowledge of God and in their worship, trust and obedience in the context of Christian community and through opportunities to serve others.

4 | 10:10

Unit aim10:10 aims to help students to engage with the issues and concepts promoted by John’s Gospel; to allow students to interact with the text presented and evaluate Jesus’ claims as presented in the gospel and their relevance for life today.

OutcomesBy the end of the unit the students will:

Know about

the story of Jesus as told by John

Jesus’ claim that he is the source of all created life and the key to eternal life

the call to stop doubting and believe in Jesus.

Be able to

examine the evidence for Jesus’ claims

identify the ‘signs’ in John’s Gospel

recognise Johannine language and usage

appreciate the depth the Old Testament allusions and references bring to John’s Gospel.

Have had an o pportunity to:

learn about how we can receive life through Jesus

follow the ‘signs’ to discover Jesus’ true identity

recognise appropriate responses to the ‘signs’ Jesus performs

read John’s Gospel in the wider context of the Bible

put their hope in Jesus, not in personal accomplishments, to receive eternal life.

StructureThe structure of the unit is as follows:

Introduction Who was John?

Chapter 1 First things first John 1:1–14

Chapter 2 Reading the signs John 2:1–11

Chapter 3 The answer is blowing in the wind John 3:1–16

Chapter 4 Satisfaction guaranteed John 4:1–26

Chapter 5 All you can eat! John 6:1–15, 30–35

Chapter 6 Seeing is believing John 9:1–11

Chapter 7 Someone worth following John 10:1–18

Chapter 8 True life John 11:1–46

Chapter 9 Making history John 19:1–30, 41–42

Chapter 10 Defeating death John 20:1–20, 24–31

10:10 | 5

IntroductionJohn’s Gospel is the fourth of the gospels presented in the New Testament section of the Bible.

John’s Gospel is significantly different from the other gospels (Matthew, Make and Luke – the Synoptic gospels). It is probable that John wrote after the other gospels had been completed and that he was aware of them. It is likely that if that is the case then John wrote to supplement the other gospels and to provide a theological interpretation of the Person and work of Christ especially suited to his Greek audience.

John was a Palestinian Jew and along with his brother James an eyewitness of the events he describes. He was one of the ‘inner circle’ of disciples – Peter, James and John – whom Jesus singled out as his closest friends and to whom he revealed himself when he was transfigured on the mountain ( Matthew 17:1–8; Mark 9:2–8, Luke 9:28).

John leaves us in no doubt as to why he wrote his gospel:

‘These things are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that in believing you may have life in his name.’ John 20:31

For John, the activity of Christ is not understandable apart from the fact that He is the Messiah, the Son of God, and God Himself (John 1:1–18). John’s Gospel is built around the seven ‘I am’ sayings of Jesus and seven miracles, which John calls ‘signs’.

John highlights this emphasis upon the Person of Jesus by his inclusion of his famous ‘I am’ statements. Although there are 23 times that the words ‘I AM’ (ego eimi, Gk) are found in the Greek text of John’s Gospel there are seven times when he joins them with tremendous metaphors which are expressive of his saving relationship toward the world.

I AM the bread of life (6:35,41,48,51)

I AM the light of the world (8:12)

I AM the door of the sheep (10:7,9)

I AM the good shepherd (10:11,14)

I AM the resurrection and the life (11:25)

I AM the way, the truth and the life (14:6)

I AM the true vine (15:1)

John also highlights seven miracles – which he calls ‘signs’. These signs and their meanings are:

Jesus changes water into wine (2:1–11) – Jesus is the source of life.

Jesus heals the official’s son (4:46–54) – Jesus is master over distance.

Jesus heals the lame man (5:1–9) – Jesus is master over time.

Jesus feeds 5000 men (6:1–13) – Jesus is the bread of life.

Jesus walks on water, stills a storm (6:16–21) – Jesus is master over nature.

Jesus heals a man blind from birth (9:1–12) – Jesus is the light of the world.

Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead (11:1–44) – Jesus has power over death.

At the end of his discourse about ‘I am the Good Shepherd’ Jesus makes his statement:

‘I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.’ John 10:10

6 | 10:10

But what does Jesus mean by his statement in 10:10? Eternal life as set out in John’s Gospel can best be described under the following four points.

Eternal life involves a personal relationship with God with all its blessings.

It is also intimately connected with the coming of Jesus Christ.

The relationship with God that comes through Jesus Christ is begun in the present. In Jesus Christ we can begin to know God, for he reveals his Father (John 1:18).

Eternal life which is inaugurated in the present, is fully realised only in the future.

By believing in Jesus we enter or have eternal life. Life is given to believers in Jesus Christ as a gift because they belong to his flock (John 10:27–28). The full realisation of eternal life is similar to receiving an inheritance. Among its many blessings are the resurrection of the body and the promise of abundant life that will never perish (John 3:16; 10:10).

All four of the gospels are in harmony with the rest of the New Testament when it comes to human responsibility for their own salvation. Persons cannot save themselves even by their own good works (John 5:39–40). They must humble themselves and trust in God who alone supplies life. True faith then inevitably yields a changed life of faithful discipleship and good works. This changed life begins in the present and continues on into eternity.

CD-ROMThe CD-ROM that comes with the Teacher’s manual contains:

supporting PowerPoint presentations for each section that follow the flow of the student magazine pages highlighting headings and quotes.pdf version of the Teacher’s manual for you to download and print as requiredpdf versions of the Black Line Masters for each chapterpdf version of Quick reference guide of Key events shown on the Visual Bible International’s John DVD.

DVDOptional resource – John DVD

Starring Henry Ian Cusick as Jesus,narrated by Christopher Plummer, and with a cast of over 2500, The Gospel of John has been adapted for the screen, word for word, based on the American Bible Society’s Good News Bible by Emmy-nominated John Goldsmith and acclaimed British director, Philip Saville.

This DVD is an excellent resource that you may wish to consider using. Although based on the Good News Bible translation it is very useful for setting the gospel in its original context. You may wish to use particular scenes as an introductory activity to some lessons.

A special feature included on the DVD is the ability to quickly search by chapter or Key Event.

A Quick reference guide of Key events (with relevant Bible references) shown on the DVD is available on the CD-ROM supplied with this Teacher’s manual.

The DVD is distributed in Australia by Koorong Books.

10:10 | 7

The 10:10 Teacher’s manualThis teaching resource allows for flexibility in the activities chosen, to fit a wide range of contexts and time frames. It is not expected that all (or even most) activities will be attempted. Use the ones that best suit your situation and the abilities and interests of your students.

As already stated the new magazine-style format of the student handbook is designed to encourage and enable students to engage with biblical truths in a genre that is typically familiar to youth.

It is recommended that the learning environment in the classroom be as casual and flexible as appropriate to encourage the students to interact freely with the material. Discussing topics which are relevant both to them and to the Bible will help the students think more clearly about the relevance of this teaching to their own live. Small groups are strongly recommended to help students to process the ideas in each lesson.

The scoopThis is the key point for the whole chapter. This is the concept that should be stressed and hopefully remembered by the students.

Aims and outcomesThese are included at the beginning of each section. They are intended to give a sense of the focus of the section, as well as provide opportunity for evaluation of the lessons you give on each passage or topic.

PowerPoint (PPT)Indicates where PowerPoint slides are available to help the teacher to display information.

Background notesBackground notes are provided for the teacher. The notes are there to explain where the section is taking you, and what are the key ideas to be examined and discussed. They will help you approach the student magazine pages and any introductory or follow-up material in a manner that suits you and your students. It is important to take time to read the notes in preparation for each chapter.

Lesson structureEach lesson is self-contained, catering for the often disruptive timetable of students in their senior years of study. The following features are incorporated in each lesson:

Bible textmodern-day groundingbiblical exegesiscultural reflection – Peoplewatch personal response – YOURspace.

Bible textIn the days before the printing press, everything written was read aloud. John’s gospel was no different. Few could read and few had access to their own personal copies. John’s Gospel was read out loud to its original recipients when they gathered. With this history in mind, it is suggested that the teacher, or a competent student reader, always read the text aloud so the students can listen to it at the beginning of each lesson. This in turn will guide and stimulate discussion, as well as giving the lesson a clear frame of reference.

8 | 10:10

Modern-day groundingEach lesson opens with Contemporary focus – a modern-day issue, event or technology which is relevant to the passage. This approach is intended to build students’ confidence, taking them from the ‘known’ to the ‘less well known’, while demonstrating the validity and relevance of the Bible’s teaching for the past, the present and the future.

Biblical exegesisThe overriding concern of 10:10 is to present students with a clear understanding of John’s Gospel so that they may ‘believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and … by believing … have life in his name’ (John 20:31).

10:10 does not assume that all students are Christians. Rather, the explanations provided are not only designed to promote Christian growth, but also to lay the basic foundations for Christian enquiry.

The lessons are not heavy with content. Rather, information has been carefully selected so as to accurately highlight John’s chief concerns. Indeed the primary aim of 10:10 is to help students to engage with the issues and concepts promoted by the gospel, rather than leading them through pages of content.

(Peoplewatch)In order to appreciate the depth of the Bible’s teaching, students need to be familiar with the ideas and values held by the society in which they live. Each lesson therefore requires students to identify the current thinking in their society on a particular issue. This will then encourage them to critically reflect on the Bible’s teachings and to deepen their understanding of God’s purposes. Students will be challenged to take a stance as they become more aware of the issues at stake.

Personal Response (YOURspace)John writes his gospel with a distinct purpose in mind:

‘These are written that you may believe.’ John 20:31

It is therefore essential that students be encouraged to respond to John’s Gospel at a personal level – that they are challenged in their beliefs about Jesus. To facilitate this, each lesson contains a segment asking students to gauge the significance of the gospel’s teachings on their own lives. This segment will also help to establish whether the lesson’s outcomes have been achieved and identify areas for further development.

Taking it furtherExtension activities building on key ideas of each section are included in the Teacher’s manual. It is important to read ahead and plan for these, selecting the activities that are most suitable to your time-frame and students. Some of the movie and song ideas would suit an introductory activity.

There are a variety of options including discussion and debate as a whole class or small group. Book reviews, poems, movie suggestions, songs and real life stories are included. Creative responses to the material are suggested. Extra Bible references and activities help to place the themes in the broader biblical picture.

Many of the activities come with Black Line Masters (BLMs) for you to copy and use.

10:10 | 9

The scoopWhen Jesus turns the water into wine at the wedding at Cana, he reveals his glory. The sign points his followers to his true identity – the Christ, the Son of God, and they put their trust in him.

AimTo help the students understand the role of ‘signs’ in John’s Gospel in promoting faith in Jesus.

OutcomesStudents will learn to:

identify the ‘signs’ in John’s Gospelfollow the ‘signs’ to discover Jesus’ true identitycompare what the Bible teaches about who Jesus is with contemporary ideas about Jesus.

Students will learn about:the importance of ‘signs’ in John’s Gospel the significance of Jesus’ sign at Canathe revelation of Jesus’ glory what it means for Jesus to be the ‘Messiah’/ the ‘Christ’.

Background notesHaving posed the question ‘If the Word did become flesh … what would you expect him to do?’ at the end of the last chapter we now start to unpack what Jesus did do by looking for clues or ‘signs’ as John calls them. In fact John calls them ‘miraculous signs’ (2:11). The ‘signs’ all point to things that just couldn’t happen in real life. They all point to a heavenly reality.

Discovering the meaning of ‘the sign’ at CanaUnlike the other signs John records for us, ‘the sign’ at Cana has no accompanying discourse. This partly explains its many and various interpretations over the years. It is important to look carefully at John’s words to gain insight into Jesus’ first sign. In John 20:30–31 he tells us that the signs were recorded in order to prove that ‘Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and that

by believing, you may have life in his name’. Above all, ‘the sign’ at Cana must be viewed through this lens: What does it teach us about Jesus that persuades us to put our life in his hands? In addition, John reminds us that this event takes place in a rich religious, cultural and historic context. For example, the jars Jesus uses to transform the water into wine are the very ones used by ‘Jews for ceremonial washing’ (John 2:6).

Jesus’ interaction with his mother (John 2:4)What is behind Jesus’ seeming outburst when his mother confides in him that there is no more wine? Jesus makes it clear to his mother that his ministry here on earth has now begun and it is God’s will, not that of any human’s, which will dictate the path he takes. Specifically, he tells her his ‘hour’ of death and exaltation has not yet arrived. The connection between Mary’s remark and Jesus’ comment is probably to be found in that where Mary is worried about the embarrassment of the hosts at this particular wedding, Jesus is looking forward to the time of the coming Messianic banquet when he will supply all the wine.

The theme of Jesus’ ‘hour’ runs through the whole gospel, culminating in his death and resurrection. This wedding is a foretaste of the great heavenly feast in store for God’s people (Revelation 21:2).

| CHAPTER 2 | John 2:1–11 (NIV)

Reading the Signs

»Bre

tt C

oelh

o

Brett Coelho makes his living from road signs. The graphic designer-cum-artist cuts up and

reassembles discarded road signs as freestanding sculptural poles and flat wall pieces. After he has sliced them up and put them back together, architects, interior designers and collectors pay up to $9500 for the finished product.

Crossword hack, 2007Cut steel on wood68 cm x 92 cm1

| CHAPTER 2 | John 2:1–11 (NIV)

Reading the Signs

10:10 | 25

How good are you at reading signs?

It is probably safe to say that few of us share Brett Coelho’s passion for road signs. For most of us, it’s not the sign which is

important; it is where the sign points us. This is true of the signs in John’s Gospel, too.

John uses the word ‘signs’ to describe the miracles he saw Jesus do. He does this to emphasise the importance of these

‘miraculous’ events because he wants to point readers to specific aspects of Jesus’ nature. He invites us to follow the signs because he is confident they will tell us who Jesus really is.

J‘mah

John 20:31But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

John writes:

What do the following international passenger and pedestrian signs point to?

What does John hope the ‘signs’ he wrote about will point people to?

Contemporary focus

PPT Slide 1

Brett CoelhoBrett Coelho is an Australian artist based in Melbourne who works in a wide range of found materials. By collaborating with interior designers and architects, he brings surprising natural elements to contemporary architecture whilst having fun with texture ad type.

Checkout his website for further examples of his work – http://www.brettcoelho.com.au

SignsBriefly discuss with the students the number of different signs they see each day. What affect do they have on the way we live our life?

How good are the students at reading signs?

Why are we talking about ‘signs’ as we look at Bible text?

PPT Slide 2

John 20:31Remind the students that we don’t have to wonder about why John wrote his gospel. He tells us plainly in this verse. What names is Jesus given in this verse? How does it apply to our lives today?

The miraculous ‘signs’ that John is recording for us, from his eye-witness account of having travelled with Jesus throughout his three year ministry, have one purpose – to lead people to believe in Jesus and through faith in him to gain life.

Bible signsJohn consistently refers to Jesus’ mighty works as ‘signs’ (in Greek semeion) rather than using the Synoptic term for miracle (in Greek dynamis). A miracle underscores power and is generally received with awe (cf. Mark 6:2). A sign is revelatory, disclosing something from God, something hidden before. ‘The signs are not merely acts of power and might, they unveil that God is at work in Jesus and indeed is present in him. Thus John remarks that through this sign Jesus reveals his ‘glory’. This is an essential affirmation for John, and it moves to the centre of what he affirms about Jesus. Jesus is not merely a man; he is more, he conveys the presence of God in the world (1:4), and since he radiates the presence of God, he appropriately shows forth God’s glory’.1

1. Burge, p 92.

26 | 10:10

Who do you think would have experienced the strongest reaction to what Jesus did

at the wedding? Why?

John tells us that the stone water jars, which contained the water Jesus changed to wine, were ‘the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing’ (v 6). The six jars would each hold between 79 and 118 litres of water.‘The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders. When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.’ (See Mark 7:3–4)

The first of Jesus’ signs is recorded by John in chapter 2 verses 1–11. It takes place at a wedding in Cana. Read John 2:1–11

John 2:1–11

1 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine."4 "Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied. "My time has not yet come."5 His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.7 Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim.8 Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet." They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now."11 This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.

Reading the textRemember to read the text aloud to the students to remind them of how this gospel was delivered to the people in the first century to whom John was writing.

So why are we still reading about a wedding Jesus happened to attend with his mother 2,000 years ago?

The stone jarsThe fact that we are told that the jars were made of stone tells us that they were ones used to hold water for Jewish purification washings. Clay jars could become ritually contaminated and have to be destroyed (see Leviticus 11:33); but stone jars, according to rabbinic law, could not.

John’s emphasis is also on the quality of the wine. Jesus is delivering something to the banquet that is quite unexpected. Any of the things that have been served before this wine are inferior.

John is also introducing us early in his Gospel to the theme that Jesus replaces, in his person, the religious observances of Judaism.2

2. Green et al, p 373.

DiscussionEncourage the students to put themselves in the story.

Discuss what the reaction of various guests would have been – Jesus’ mother, his disciples, the servants serving the wine, the groom, the bridegroom’s parents and so on.

Jesus produced between 470 and 700 litres of top quality wine!

Who would have had the strongest reaction?

Who might have begun to understand who Jesus was?

Maybe the students might want to act out some of the various reactions.

The place of wine in creationIt is important to establish from the outset that wine is part of God’s good creation (Genesis 1:31, 1 Timothy 4:4–5). As with most things, it is humans’ irresponsible use of God’s creations which leads to evil; it is not the creation per se. God created wine to be enjoyed responsibly, that is to say, without getting drunk (Ephesians 5:18).

10:10 | 27

«««

stories make great movies – often comedies. The story of the wedding at Cana would make for great viewing on the ‘big screen’. The following extract captures the drama of the occasion:

Weddings are exciting but stressful affairs. So much is on show. So much more is at stake. It’s a day when it’s never more important that everything goes right; when it’s never more embarrassing if something goes wrong.

Something goes very wrong at this wedding. It was the responsibility of the bridegroom’s family to provide enough drink for the party. Failure to do so was a serious thing in the culture of Jesus’ day. It brought social rejection and shame. Legal action was not uncommon. Here was a family in deep trouble. No bottle shops or pubs to whip down to and fix the situation. No mates to ring on the mobile phone and ask them to help out. They had undersupplied and the fallout would be serious.2

Wedding

be serio

1st Century Wedding Trivia

U The marriage feast was normally

held at the groom’s house.

U The financial responsibility lay

with the groom.

U Celebrations usually continued

for a week.

U It was possible to take legal action

against a man who failed to provide

an appropriate wedding gift.

U The best wine was served first;

the lesser quality wine was saved

for when the guests could not tell

the difference.

5

Briefly summarise the plot of a movie about a wedding which you have seen recently.

CanaCana was a small village west of the Sea of Galilee and north of Nazareth although its exact location is unknown. In John 1: 45–51 Jesus is talking to Nathaneal who we learn latter in John 21:2 comes from Cana.

Jesus is also in Cana when he is approached by a royal official whose son was laying sick in Capernaum (John 4:43–54). Jesus heals the boy from Cana and tells his father to go home. This was the second ‘miraculous sign’ recorded by John.

The first ‘miraculous sign’ at the wedding at Cana signifies the beginning of Jesus’ Galilean ministry.

Thought for todayThere is a practical side to this story that we can easily miss. Jesus stepped into a wedding of good friends and fixed a simple problem.

‘It is easy for us to spiritualise the work of Christ today and conclude that he is only in the business of saving souls and renewing lives. But is he really interested in the commonplace events in my life? Is he really interested in the simple conundrums of everyday living? The Cana story says ‘yes’. We can invite Christ into the dilemmas that seem embarrassingly inconsequential – dilemmas that seem ridiculously practical – and ask him to help.’3

3. Burge, p 102.

Modern day weddingAsking the students to briefly summarise the plot of a movie about a wedding they have personally attended should help the students bring what they are learning and discussing back into a modern day context.

28 | 10:10

glory

'We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.' John 1:14

The latter part of John’s account concentrates on the events surrounding Jesus’ death and resurrection. Jesus himself describes this as the time when his glory is truly seen. See John 12:23–33

Mary asks Jesus to step in to avert the ensuing crisis (v 3). He responds in an unexpected way, saying, when literally translated, 'What to me and to you,

woman?’ (our Bible translation says ‘Dear woman, why do you involve me?’). His point is that the time is coming when his identity will be made public, but that time is not now (v 4).

Mary remains hopeful and instructs the servants to do ‘whatever’ Jesus tells them to (v 5). They go and fill six water jars as Jesus requests (v 6). They take a sample to the chief steward, who is obviously unaware of what has happened. He is taken aback by the quality of the wine, and has a quiet word with the bridegroom about keeping such good wine until last (v 10).

So, what exactly does the sign of turning water into wine point to? John tells us in the latter half of verse 11 that the miracle reveals Jesus’ glory. In the first chapter of John’s Gospel, he writes that this glory is none other than the glory of God (1:14). Only God the Creator is capable of changing ‘the chemical formula of water so that it becomes a different kind of liquid altogether! Jesus demonstrates that he has the power you would only link with God’.3

What does the word ‘glory’ usually represent? Compare this to what we’ve considered about Jesus’ glory.

The sign at Cana also points to God’s final salvation. In the Old Testament, God spoke of a future day when he would save his people once and for all. This ‘glorious’ salvation was spoken of in terms of abundance – a great banquet (Isaiah 25:6-8) and flowing wine (Amos 9:13-14). John believes this salvation has arrived in Jesus, who provides a plentiful supply of wine for the wedding at Cana.

6 On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine – the best of meats and the finest of wines.

7 On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples,the sheet that covers all nations;

8 he will swallow up death forever.The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces;he will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth.The LORD has spoken.

Isaiah 25:6–8

The pots that were usually used for Jewish cleansing rituals are an important part of this sign that points to Jesus’ glory. By following John’s clues, we will see how Jesus’ death and resurrection replace the old rituals and wash people clean by providing true forgiveness in God’s sight and by beating death forever.

Does it really matter if a person has God’s forgiveness? Why?

PPT Slide 3

GloryWhat does the word ‘glory’ mean to us today?The Macquarie dictionary defines glory as n. 1. exalted praise, honour, or distinction, accorded by common consent. 2. Resplendent beauty or magnificence. 3. The splendour and bliss of heaven; heaven.

In the New Testament the chief use of the word ‘glory’ (Greek doxa) is to describe the revelation of God in the Person and work of Jesus Christ. He is the outshining of the divine glory (Hebrews 1:3).

What does ’glory’ mean to John? For John the glory of God once restricted to the tabernacle (Exodus 40:34) has now become visible in the person of Jesus (John1:14).

‘This glory was not merely a display of power. For John the deepest irony is how glory is to be found in suffering and humiliation, for in this Gospel, the cross of Christ is again and again described as Jesus’ glorification. His signs and miracles showed his glory, to be sure, but it is in the cross that the mysterious, unfathomable glory of God is to be found.’4

4. Burge, p 59.

Amos 9:13–1413 “The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when the reaper will be overtaken by the plowman and the planter by the one treading grapes. New wine will drip from the mountains and flow from all the hills.

14 I will bring back my exiled people Israel; they will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit.

PPT Slide 4

What is forgiveness?The Macquarie dictionary defines forgive as v. 1.to grant free pardon for. 2. to cease to feel resentment against. 3. to pardon an offence or an offender.

This is the definition of forgiveness today. This discussion topic provides the first time the students are asked for their opinion about forgiveness. It is important that they know what the Bible means by forgiveness and why it is so important to God. Forgiveness is a fundamental aspect of salvation.

10:10 | 29

YOURspace that Jesus is ‘the Christ, the Son of God’ (John 20:31)?

PEOPLE WATCH

Everyone has an opinion about who Jesus is. Who do your friends say Jesus is? What do they base their opinions on?

‘In order that men and women might believe in the Son and live, [John] wrote his Gospel: nineteen centuries bear witness to the abundant degree in which his noble purpose has been achieved.’ F.F. Bruce4[ ]

First S

ign

Jesus?

In the Old Testament, the King of Israel was known as the Messiah. The word, ‘Messiah’, in Hebrew, literally means ‘Anointed One’ since at the coronation, the king was anointed with oil.

The title ‘Messiah’ became increasingly associated with a new, future, everlasting kingship, in the line of David (see 2 Samuel 7:12–13).

In the New Testament, the word ‘Messiah’ is translated as ‘Christ’ in Greek. ‘Son of God’ is a term found in both the Old and New Testaments. God’s people, Israel, were given this title, and even more significantly, the Messiah/Christ was also referred to as the Son of God (see Psalm 2).

The happenings at Cana left the disciples changed men. Having witnessed Jesus’ glory, they put their trust in him. There are more signs to come in John’s Gospel. Keep looking for the reasons John gives about why we can trust in Jesus and enjoy life in his name.

2 Samuel 7:12–13 12 When your days are over and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

Your spaceA reminder that the ‘Your space’ activity is asking the students to make a personal response to what they have been hearing and discussing. This is an important part of each lesson.

PPT Slide 5

Jesus ?The ‘People watch’ activity is aimed at encouraging the students to make a cultural reflection by requiring them to identify the current thinking in the society in which they are living on a particular issue.

Students of this age are greatly influenced by the opinions of their peer group so they are asked to investigate – Who do your friends say Jesus is?

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Taking it furtherBelief/believe

From The Macquarie dictionary we get the following definitions:

belief: n. 1. that which is believed; an accepted opinion. 2. conviction of the truth or reality of a thing, based upon grounds insufficient to afford positive knowledge. 3. confidence; faith; trust.

believe: v. 1. to have confidence (in); trust; rely through faith (on). 2. to be persuaded of the truth of anything; accept a doctrine, principle, system, etc. 3. to have belief in; credit; accept as true.

One of the key ideas in John’s Gospel is ‘belief’. Discuss what it means to ‘believe’?

What does it mean for the disciples to ‘put their faith’ in Jesus (John 2:11)?

You might like to include the following references in the discussion (John 16:30–31, John 20:8–9).

Encourage students to begin to record all the ideas John’s Gospel brings to light about ‘belief’ and add to these notes as they study more of John’s Gospel.

More signsDownload and print off a collection of humorous signs you think will be of interest to the students in your class. Discuss what each sign points to and why it is humorous.

Two sites to try are: http://eightsolid.com/24-very-strange-funny-signs/ http://signsoflife.goose24.org/?sign=124

Discuss with the students what seem to be the essential elements of a good sign. What are the elements that make it most effective in getting its message over to the people viewing the sign?

Extension: You could extend this activity by arranging the students into small groups and asking them to work on a design for a sign that would summarise an important aspect of the ‘miraculous sign’ that took place at the wedding in Cana.

Use BLM 1 on page 32 as a template for the students to design their sign.

What does it point to?

Encourage the students to analyse the ‘signs’ that appear throughout John’s Gospel.

They can summarise the information they uncover in a two-column chart, one headed ‘Sign’, the other headed ‘Points to’.

Use the BLM 2 on page 33 as a template to help the students complete this activity.

The miraculous signs and what they point to are: Jesus changes water into wine (Jesus is the source of life); Jesus heals the official’s son (Jesus is master over distance); Jesus heals the paralysed man (Jesus is master over time); Jesus feeds 5000 (Jesus is the bread of life); Jesus walks on water, stills a storm (Jesus is master over nature); Jesus heals a man blind from birth (Jesus is the light of the world) and Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead (Jesus has power over death).

Different perspectives

Following on from the discussion question on page 12 of the Student magazine invite the students to consider the incident at the wedding from the perspective of one of the characters in the text.

Divide the class into small groups and allocate a character to each group. For each character the group should consider how different the incident is when told from another perspective.

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What does it point to?Complete the following chart to help you discover the ‘miraculous signs’ that John recounts for us in his Gospel and what each of these signs helps us uncover about just who Jesus is.

‘Miraculous sign’

Bible reference

What is points

towards

Jesus turns water into wine at the

wedding in Cana.John 2:1–12 Jesus is the

source of life.

John 4:46–54 Jesus is master over distance.

John 5:1–17

Jesus feed over 5,000 people. John 6:1–14

John 6:15–21 Jesus is master over nature.

John 9: 1–41

John 11:17–45

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