Article archive
06/01/2015 08:36
The Trinity is defined as one essence and three persons. The Cappadocian Fathers wrote of this. The definition seems to present a difficulty in understanding because we just can’t find an analogy that helps us comprehend it. But it appears that the Cappadocians didn’t have as great a trouble as we...
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05/22/2015 08:39
The last summary gave several points that I may repeat (or just reference) in this summary in order ensure presenting a complete picture. We are discussing the Trinity. The Cappadocian Fathers helped us understand the concept of one essence and three persons. But this structure created an argument...
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05/12/2015 08:13
In response to Arius’s confusion concerning the statements of Jesus (such as John 14:28 “The Father is greater than I”), the Cappadocian Fathers argued for two presentations of the Trinity. One describes the Immanent Trinity—the interaction of the Godhead as they have always existed in eternity—and...
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05/04/2015 10:06
Jesus explains the flow of love thoroughly in John 15:12-17. He explains that central to love is the selfless nature of the lover. Stressing the greatest love of totally giving up self for the sake of friends, Jesus effectively describes what he would be doing in loving them—giving up himself for...
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04/27/2015 07:00
Although the discussion continues about relationship, Jesus shifts the focus from his relationship with the Father (God) to the disciples’ relationship with him. Verses 1 through 8 of chapter 15 provide an illustration of how the relationship with Jesus works. Jesus presents himself as the vine and...
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04/20/2015 07:29
In verses 12 through 14 of chapter 14, Jesus explained the benefit to the disciples in his “going away.” He began by saying, “I assure you,” as a continuation of his insistence that they be not troubled. The word translated “assure” (which is translated as “verily” in the KJV and “truly” in most...
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04/13/2015 06:18
Jesus had brought up several times that he was going away. When we think of Jesus’s physical location, we obviously realize he is not physically here with us now. So, yes, he physically went away. But the reality of his physical location was not his main concern during his ministry on earth. His...
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03/30/2015 07:12
Although the command to love one another was not only because Jesus was going away, Jesus does link it to his going in this passage. It flows well from his insistence in verses 31 and 32 of shared glory with God. There we hear Jesus express the he-in-God and God-in-him characteristic of true...
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03/09/2015 08:26
Giving the sop was a mark of special favor, which makes this scene so striking in its contrast. Just as in the foot-washing example, Jesus acted in care for even the one who, certainly by this time, he knows would betray him. The contrast is striking because we don’t expect Jesus to act in favor of...
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03/02/2015 06:35
A slight change in the feel of the scene seems to have occurred. Of course, this is all still prior to Jesus going to the cross. However, the footwashing action was meant to depict Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross. Therefore, as it ends and Jesus “put on His robe” and “reclined again,” it has the...
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