Holy Stuff - Gospel St. John I - VI

At the beginning of the course, when I was told that we were going to read the Bible, I didn't really love the idea since I understood that we had to read all about the Christian believes. Then, I realized that what we were actually reading was the Old Testament which I was satisfied with since I'm Jewish and it actually relates completely to my religion and beliefs. Its not that I don't like to read about other roots, its just that I feel as if I was following their religion; as if I was committing a sin against my own. It was all fluent and I was able to understand perfectly the whole context of the Old Testament, but now I find myself trying to understand all the Christian beliefs without judging or offending. Yes, I have to read some Gospels from the New Testament which are getting me really confused.

It turns out that the Gospels are crucial in Christianity, for they narrate the life of Jesus as the son of the Lord. In the Old Testament, God was presented as the almighty, powerful being that could take control over everything and knew all the differences between right and wrong. He was the leader of people and the voice of good. He was the creator of earth and the savor of its creations. So who is his son? Is he as powerful as God? Jesus was a fragile, merciful being whose mission was to spread the word of God. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1: 1) I'm not completely sure of what "the Word" means in the quote, however in my point of view, it seems as if the Word is everything. If you actually take this word and replace it for "Word", you will see how it makes sense. I believe that "the Word" is what one should follow, how one should act and believe. It is that that shall be passed from generation to generation since it is the most essential to live.

But now the question may be that who is St. John. Who is he? What is his relationship with Jesus? At the beginning of the reading, it is told how the one that should spread "the Word" of God is Jesus. However, it is also shown that the one that should be doing this, and acting upon as a messenger is actually John. Anyways, you then learn that John is more than a messenger sent by God, for he is also a witness. "There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe." (John 1: 7) But a witness of what? A witness of how great and powerful Jesus would be. John was also someone who baptized people along the river. He got the news that Jesus was also doing this and he decided to join him for them to be together in this. John knew Jesus very well, all about his miracles and powers and he even got to baptize him. "After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized." (John 3: 22)

Something that I found very interesting was the miracles that Jesus makes. He can make water into wine which shows how divine he is. Wine is seen as a celestial "drink" compared to any other. It is expensive nowadays, but during those times I would see it as a symbol of superiority and power. It is can be used to show honor, and to convert a simple liquid such as water into wine, shows extreme superiority. "Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." (John 4: 13-15) This excerpt shows that even though it is not turned into wine here, it is showing that any type of connection that Jesus has with you will be sacred. If you drink from normal water, you will be thirsty again but if you receive that same water by him, you will never be thirsty again for it will be in one "a well of water springing up into everlasting life". Wow. I want that water!