Assignment:
Topic: You begin to learn about the structure and content of the Gospel books. There is a lot to learn in the gospels! But each writer was making a point, so the stories are not randomly placed together. They are emphasizing truth about Jesus. Sometimes these stories stand alone, but often a series of stories is making a broader overall point. This assignment addresses the structure and interpretive journey for a Gospel story (or pericope, which is a section of Scripture).
Read & Study Jesus' first miracle in John 2:1-11.
• Write in paragraph form and use 150 to 200 words per section.
• You will need to read the passage and use your own powers of observation. Just be alert to what is in the verses, and keeping asking questions about what it means. Be curious! For example, it begins by saying "On the third day." The third day of what?
Summarize the story:
• Write a paragraph explaining the story in the verses
• Be sure to answer these questions: Who? What? When? Where? How? and Why?
Explore the details:
• What did it mean to the people at the wedding then?
• What was being emphasized in the story?
Examine the meaning:
• Is the point of the story consistent with the rest of the Bible (is it re-emphasized or replaced later)?
• What does it mean when it says "the first of the signs"? (This will help you tie these verses to the rest of the book. Look for the word signs in John)
• How should we apply the verses today?
Apply the teaching:
• What does the story and teaching mean to us today?