What Does This Mean?

Jesus and the Woman at the Well

[Sixty-Third in a series of posts on Bible Stories]

Encore Post:

The long-standing hostility between Jews and Samaritans had roots going back hundreds of years before the time of Jesus. When the Assyrian Empire conquered the northern Kingdom of Israel, and later the Babylonians conquered Judah, not everyone was carried away. Some people remained in the land, married Gentiles who moved into Israel and Judah, and over time the people of Samaria developed their own traditions and ways of worshiping God. The Jews who returned from exile in Babylon often viewed the Samaritans as people who had compromised their faith. The Samaritans, in turn, resented the Jews and the temple in Jerusalem. By the time of Jesus, many Jews preferred to avoid traveling through Samaria. Jesus and His disciples did not.

The woman at the well had good reason to be surprised by Jesus. Jews and Samaritans generally avoided one another, and Jewish men did not normally start conversations with women they did not know. Yet Jesus asked her for a drink and treated her with respect. He crossed barriers that most people of His day would not have crossed.

Jesus began a spiritual discussion by speaking of “living water.” At first, the woman misunderstood Him. She may have thought it would be great not to have to draw water from a well! Jesus then revealed things about her life that He could not have known. She had been married five times and was now living with a man who was not her husband. Realizing that Jesus was a prophet, she turned the conversation toward the question that mattered most: how to be right with God.

Jesus told her that the time was coming when people would not be defined by a particular mountain or temple, but would worship the Father “in spirit and truth.” Then He made an astonishing revelation. When she spoke about the coming Messiah, Jesus told her, “I who speak to you am He.”

The woman returned to town and told others about Jesus. They came to hear Him for themselves, and many believed. Jesus stayed among them for two days. An entire Samaritan community heard His message and came to faith. Long before the Gospel spread throughout the world, Jesus was already reaching beyond the usual boundaries and bringing the good news to people others often ignored.

Originally posted at What does this Mean? Blog: https://whatdoesthismean.blog

The posts in the blog What does this Mean? are now available at What does this Mean? | Rev. Robert E. Smith | Substack

Rev. Robert E. Smith
Pastor Emeritus
Fort Wayne, Indiana

Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael

Jesus’ call of Philip is the first recorded time in Scripture that Jesus says, “Follow me.” By these words, Jesus invites Philip to become His disciple. During that first encounter, Philip became convinced that Jesus was much more than a talented Rabbi. He believed Jesus was the Messiah God had promised through Moses and the prophets in the Old Testament.

So Philip went immediately to find Nathanael sitting under his fig tree. Nathanael was not especially gullible. He was not inclined to accept Philip’s word that Jesus was the Messiah. In fact, when Philip told him that Jesus came from Nazareth, Nathanael was skeptical. Nazareth was a small and unimportant village, and Nathanael could not imagine the Messiah coming from there.

When Jesus sees Nathanael coming, He takes the initiative. He says, “Here comes a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false.” Nathanael is startled, because Jesus had never met him, but knew that he was not someone to play games. When Nathanael asks, “How do you know me?” Jesus tells Nathanael something He could not have known naturally: “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”

Nathanael is convinced. Jesus has demonstrated a supernatural knowledge of him. Nathanael responds, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.” Jesus’ reply is very much like saying, “You’ve seen nothing yet!” He tells Nathanael that he will see angels coming and going between Jesus and Heaven. These words recall Jacob’s dream at Bethel.

Jacob was running for his life from his brother Esau. In the dream, he saw a staircase stretching from Earth to Heaven, with angels coming and going. At the top was God, who gave Jacob the same promise He gave to Abraham. He would be the father of many children, who would inherit the land. Through him and his sons,
the whole world would be blessed. Most importantly, God would never leave or forsake him.

In Jacob’s dream, the angels traveled on a stairway between heaven and earth. Jesus applies that image to Himself. He is telling Nathanael that He is the meeting place between God and humanity, the true bridge between heaven and earth. Through Him, God would never leave or forsake him. It is the same for us. Through Jesus, we are connected to Heaven. God knows everything about us and will never leave or forsake us, because He loves us.

Originally posted at What does this Mean? Blog: https://whatdoesthismean.blog

The posts in the blog What does this Mean? are now available at What does this Mean? | Rev. Robert E. Smith | Substack

Rev. Robert E. Smith
Pastor Emeritus
Fort Wayne, Indiana

Matthew the Tax Collector

A major Roman road called the Via Maris, the Way of the Sea, ran through Capernaum, connecting Egypt along the Mediterranean Sea to Damascus and on to the Euphrates River. Here Matthew, also called Levi, operated a toll booth for the Roman Empire. The Pharisees looked down on tax collectors both because they served the Empire that ruled over them and because they often set their own fees and got rich through the transaction.

One day Jesus passed by the booth and told Matthew to follow him. So Matthew became his disciple. To celebrate, Matthew threw a dinner party for his friends, most of whom were looked down on by the Pharisees, who called them Tax Collectors and Sinners — people who did not take obeying God’s law and their traditions very seriously.

At the party was also Jesus, the disciples he called up to that point. The Pharisees grumbled a question to his disciples, asking why Jesus ate with sinners. You have to wonder why Pharisees were at the banquet, then.

Jesus replied that the healthy do not need a doctor; sick people do. He then quoted Hosea 6:6, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” He came to call sinners to repentance, not the righteous. Taking a cue from this line, many pastors have described the church as a Hospital, not a Country Club.

Matthew, a tax collector likely supervising a staff of tax collectors, knew how to read and write. He likely viewed himself as Jesus’ amanuensis, the term for a literary assistant, responsible for everything from taking dictation, Roman wax tablet in hand, to copying documents in careful, legible handwriting to editing documents, sometimes going as far as ghostwriting. His gospel, then, carefully records what Jesus said, what eyewitnesses saw and heard, and Matthew’s own observations of what he did. Church tradition and some conservative Scholars believe it was the first gospel written, copied, and distributed, already in circulation in the 40s A.D.

Matthew would remain with Jesus through his suffering, death, resurrection, and Ascension. He provided the first New Testament scripture for the church and, according to church tradition, sealed his witness by remaining faithful until death rather than forsaking him.

Originally posted at What does this Mean? Blog: https://whatdoesthismean.blog

The posts in the blog What does this Mean? are now available at What does this Mean? | Rev. Robert E. Smith | Substack

Rev. Robert E. Smith
Pastor Emeritus
Fort Wayne, Indiana

Fishers of Men

One day Jesus was walking along the Sea of Galilee. He saw two brothers, Simon Peter and Andrew, fishing with their nets. Jesus asked Peter to put his boat out on the lake so he could teach the crowds gathered there.

When Jesus finished teaching, he told Peter to take the boat into deep water and cast their nets. Even though they had worked hard without success, they obeyed. Their nets filled with so many fish that they could barely handle the catch. Through this miracle, Jesus showed His power and prepared them for their new calling.

Jesus told them not to be afraid that they would now catch me. Peter and Andrew left their nets and followed Him. As Jesus continued along the shore, He saw two more brothers, James and John, working in a boat with their father, Zebedee. Jesus called to them as well. They left their boat and went with Him.

Jesus’ call to the disciples was about more than leaving fishing nets and boats behind. He invited ordinary people to follow Him, learn from Him, and help bring others to know God’s love. Just as the first disciples followed Jesus and brought others with them, Jesus still calls His people to follow Him and share His good news today.

Originally posted at What does this Mean? Blog: https://whatdoesthismean.blog

The posts in the blog What does this Mean? are now available at What does this Mean? | Rev. Robert E. Smith | Substack

Rev. Robert E. Smith
Pastor Emeritus
Fort Wayne, Indiana

Jesus Calls His Disciples

[Sixty-First in a series of posts on Bible Stories]

Encore Post:

Rabbis in Jesus’ day often had students — disciples—who followed them, observed everything they did, memorized every word they taught, and imitated their actions. Most of the time, the students chose their teachers. Jesus turned that around when He chose his own disciples. Disciples often became rabbis themselves. When Jesus told Peter, James, and John they would “catch people,” his disciples would assume they were to train for that very occupation.

It is easy to think that Jesus just walked up to the disciples with no notice and ordered them to follow him, and they did. But that likely wasn’t the case for any of them. Simon, Andrew, James, and John already knew Jesus when he called them. Jesus had made Capernaum, the headquarters of their fishing business, his hometown. Before this event, Jesus had taught in their synagogue, healed Peter’s mother-in-law, cast out demons, healed a paralytic, the Roman centurion’s daughter, and many others. His brother Andrew and others were disciples of John the Baptist, who identified Jesus as the Lamb of God. Matthew was a toll collector at Capernaum before Jesus called him, but likely heard a lot about him.

Jesus selected twelve disciples to be his closest students. The number twelve reminded Jews of the twelve tribes of Israel. By doing this, he signaled he was re-establishing God’s chosen people. These twelve would eventually be commissioned as his apostles, on whom Jesus would build his church. These would become witnesses to his resurrection and take the gospel to the ends of the Roman world. All but two would die as martyrs — Judas, who betrayed him, and John, who lived a long life and whose own disciples would pass the faith on to new generations.

Originally posted at What does this Mean? Blog: https://whatdoesthismean.blog

The posts in the blog What does this Mean? are now available at What does this Mean? | Rev. Robert E. Smith | Substack

Rev. Robert E. Smith
Pastor Emeritus
Fort Wayne, Indiana

Capernaum

[Sixtieth in a series of posts on Bible Stories]

Encore Post:

On the north shore of the Sea of Galilee, along the Roman road known as “the Way of the Sea,” the fishing village of Capernaum existed as a trading center during the 1st Century A.D. The apostles Simon and Andrew had moved there with their families to be near their fishing partners, Zebedee, James, and John. The apostle Matthew also lived in town. He likely worked as a toll collector in a toll booth along the trade route.

The commander of the Roman army unit guarding the town, a centurion, lived in town as well. He was likely a God-fearer—a Gentile who believed in the God of Israel, but who was not circumcised. He was the patron of the local synagogue, paid for its construction, and was well loved by the village residents.

After Jesus began his ministry, he moved to Capernaum, making it a kind of headquarters for the Galilean phase of his earthly ministry. It was here he preached his first sermon, cast out demons and healed the sick, healed the servant of the beloved centurion, and healed a paralytic lowered through the thatched roof of St. Peter’s house on his bed. Tradition places the Sermon on the Mount on the hillside near the village along the Sea of Galilee.

The ruins of the town were unearthed beginning in the early 20th century. The floor of the synagogue in which Jesus preached, and the likely location of the house of St. Peter, have been uncovered and can be visited today.

Originally posted at What does this Mean? Blog: https://whatdoesthismean.blog

The posts in the blog What does this Mean? are now available at What does this Mean? | Rev. Robert E. Smith | Substack

Rev. Robert E. Smith
Pastor Emeritus
Fort Wayne, Indiana

The Temptation of Jesus

[Fifty-ninth in a series of posts on Bible Stories]

Encore Post:

Just after Jesus was baptized, the Holy Spirit sent Jesus into the desert alone for forty days to fast and pray prior to beginning to minister. The number forty was important to the Jewish people. Their ancestors wandered in the desert for forty years. Moses and Elijah fasted for forty days in the desert. God kept Noah and his family safe in the ark for forty days. For them, the number forty stood for a period of testing.

For us, the temptation of Jesus is wonderful. He could have blown Satan away. But He chose to face temptation in a way that we can face temptation. He quoted God’s will from Scripture. In God’s Word is the power to overcome the Devil — and the world and our flesh, too. The Scripture calls on us to pray to a Lord who was tempted in every way the way we are, except that He did not sin. Because He faced temptation as a human, we know He understands us and is ready to help.

Originally posted at What does this Mean? Blog: https://whatdoesthismean.blog

The posts in the blog What does this Mean? are now available at What does this Mean? | Rev. Robert E. Smith | Substack

Rev. Robert E. Smith
Pastor Emeritus
Fort Wayne, Indiana

Wedding at Cana

[Fifty-Eighth in a series of posts on Bible Stories]

Encore Post:

Weddings are very joyful occasions. Everyone dresses their best. There is music, dancing, and feasting. The bride and groom are excited because their life together will soon begin. Weddings in our culture, however, differ greatly from those during Jesus’ earthly life.

Jewish weddings in first-century Galilee were seven days long, most of it eating, drinking, dancing, reciting wedding poetry — and eating. On the first day, the bride and her wedding party would walk from her house to her groom’s house. They would say their vows in his house or under a tent set up for the occasion. Then the party would begin.

Cana was a small town in Galilee, a few miles north of Nazareth. Mary, Jesus, and his disciples were invited to attend a wedding there. Mary was likely a relative or close friend of the groom’s parents. The family was likely well-off. They could afford a large wedding feast, with lots of guests and servants to cater for the event. They had six large stone jars to hold water for guests to remain ritually clean.

For one reason or another, the feast ran out of wine. Since the only drinks used in Galilee at the time were water and wine from the vineyards near Nazareth, this was a major problem. Hospitality was very important at weddings. The groom would have to be sure there was plenty to eat and drink. Running out of wine was a disaster in the making.

Jesus’ mother, Mary, asks him to take care of the problem. Jesus’ reply sounds cold in modern English, but it wasn’t cold or disrespectful then. It roughly means, “How is that our problem, Ma’am?” Yet Mary trusts Jesus will do what is necessary to solve the problem and tells the servants to do what he tells them to do.

By turning over 120 gallons of water into the finest wine, Jesus saved the couple a lot of embarrassment. More than that, He showed His mother and His disciples that He was God and cared for people in their everyday lives. The church believes that Jesus’ attendance at this wedding blessed all marriages by providing wine for the celebration. It is mentioned in every traditional wedding.

Originally posted at What does this Mean? Blog: https://whatdoesthismean.blog

The posts in the blog What does this Mean? are now available at What does this Mean? | Rev. Robert E. Smith | Substack

Rev. Robert E. Smith
Pastor Emeritus
Fort Wayne, Indiana

Baptism of Jesus

[Fifty-seventh in a series of posts on Bible Stories]

Encore Post:

On the First Sunday after Epiphany, the Church celebrates the day that Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River.(Matthew 3:13-17) The baptism that John performed was for the forgiveness of sins, so it puzzled John. Why would the sinless Son of God need to be baptized? Jesus told him it was “fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” (Matthew 3:15) Like the scapegoat and the Passover Lamb of the Old Testament, John called him “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. “(John 1:29)

So, when we go into the waters of Holy Baptism, Jesus washes away our sins (Ephesians 5:26-27). These sins he took upon himself at his baptism and carried them to the cross. When he died, we died to our old life. When he rose, we rose with him to new life. Our sins were forgiven, and we need sin no more. (Romans 6:3-11)

When Jesus came out of the water, God the Father spoke from heaven and said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17) The Holy Spirit also appeared in the form of a dove that landed on Jesus. An appearance of God in this world is called a theophany. At the Baptism of Jesus, all three persons of the Trinity appear in our world. In the readings for the Church Year, the season of Epiphany begins with this theophany and concludes by celebrating another — the Transfiguration.

Originally posted at What does this Mean? Blog: https://whatdoesthismean.blog

The posts in the blog What does this Mean? are now available at What does this Mean? | Rev. Robert E. Smith | Substack

Rev. Robert E. Smith
Pastor Emeritus
Fort Wayne, Indiana

John the Baptist

[Fifty-sixth in a series of posts on Bible Stories]

Encore post:

Four hundred years had passed since the last prophet had spoken. Now, a new prophet had come. He dressed like the Prophet Elijah, ate the same foods Elijah ate, and preached in the same places Elijah preached.

John the Baptist had all the credentials to be the Messiah. His father was a priest descended from Aaron. His mother was related to Mary, the mother of Jesus, and so descended from King David. An angel in God’s temple announced his birth while his father offered prayers on behalf of the people. Both of his parents were very old, like Abraham and Sarah, and barren, like Hannah, the mother of Samuel. Many people wondered if he was the Messiah. But he wasn’t. As the last prophet before him predicted, he came to prepare God’s people for the Messiah.

God named him “John (God’s gift)” in the same way He named Isaac and changed Jacob’s name to Israel. The angel announced he would come in the spirit and power of Elijah, one of the greatest prophets. Yet from the start, he and his parents understood John was not the Messiah, but the one who would reveal him to the world and prepare the way.

When he baptized Jesus, John finally knew it was his cousin, Jesus. He pointed to Jesus and said, “Look! The Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world!” The Messiah had come not as a conqueror, but as the final sacrifice for the sins of the world. Now His baptism gives us the Holy Spirit, forgiveness of sins, eternal life, and salvation.

Originally posted at What does this Mean? Blog: https://whatdoesthismean.blog

The posts in the blog What does this Mean? are now available at What does this Mean? | Rev. Robert E. Smith | Substack

Rev. Robert E. Smith
Pastor Emeritus
Fort Wayne, Indiana