John’s Gospel begins by setting the stage for what discipleship in the world looks like. Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman are studies in discipleship. John then presents Jesus within the setting of Jewish symbols that are entirely dependent on the cultural codes of this ancient Jewish world. In this class we will look at the Samaritan woman and compare her with Nicodemus (John 4). We will then watch what happens when Jesus appears at three important Jewish festivals: Sabbath (John 5), Passover (John 6), and Tabernacles (John 7). In each case, surprising clues reveal how a first-century Jewish audience would quickly understand these stories.

Subject: biblical studies

Gary M. Burge, Ph.D., is a recently retired professor of New Testament at Calvin Theological Seminary, preceded by 25 years at Wheaton College. He has written extensively on both the New Testament and the intersection of theology and history in modern Israel. His specialty is exploring the cultural context of the gospels, particularly in John’s gospel, about which he has written four books.