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Jamie Gordon

Dr. Michael P. Sanders

Bible 110

2/22/2021

For the New Testament Bible Study Assignment, I will be using MLA formatting style, and my

chosen passage is John 14:1-12.

New Testament Bible Study Assignment

Studying the Gospels

Instructions:

For this assignment, you will be studying a chosen narrative from the Gospels that includes a
question asked by Jesus. You have chosen between the following three passages:

1. Matthew 15:32-39
2. John 5:1-17
3. John 14:1-12

You will use the template below in order to complete a study of this passage. In your study, you
will use the skills of Observation, Interpretation, Correlation, and Application that you have
become familiar with through your reading in Everyday Bible Study and The Inquisitive Christ.
You will also consult and cite at least three additional scholarly sources to be incorporated
throughout this assignment.

I. Introduction and Thesis Statement

The subject of this assignment is John 14:1-12. In this passage, Jesus’ message is, “I am going

away, and you will not be able to see Me. But let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God ,

and yet you do not see Him. Now believe in Me in the same way.” (MacDonald 1511) Jesus

knew that this concept was difficult for the disciples to grapple with, shown when Phillip,

“demonstrated the very unfamiliarity with the Father Jesus had just mentioned” by asking Jesus
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to show them the Father. (The Moody Bible Commentary 2657) This passage dives into what it

means to have faith in the full trinity of God, not only the Father.

II. Observation

A. I have read the passage in both a formal translation (KJV, NKJV, NASB, ESV, or CSB)
and a functional translation (NIV, NLT, or NCV). Highlight the correct answer. You will
find a copy of the NASB, ESV, CSB, and NLT in your myWSB Library.

o Yes
o No

B. Identify the basic elements of the story you are studying

1. Main characters: (List them)

Jesus
Philip
Thomas

2. Plot: (50-100 words)

Jesus consoles his disciples while they are trying to deal their upcoming loss of him. He

assures them that they know the way to where he is going. Thomas, who will later earn his

nickname “Doubting Thomas,” asks him how they know the way, since they do not even know

where he is going. Jesus says they know the way because he is the way. Philip then asks Jesus to

show them the father, saying that would be enough, but Jesus tells him that anyone who has met

him has met the father.

3. Story structure (inciting incident, rising action, climax, falling action): (50-100 words)

The incident that incited the scene is that Jesus tells the disciples to not be troubled. The

rising action is when Thomas asks how we can know the way. The climax is when Philip asks

Jesus to show him the father. The falling action is when Jesus tells him that anyone who has met

him has met the father.

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4. Question(s) asked in narrative:

 “How do we know the way?” asks Thomas.

Jesus asks these three questions:

“Have I been with you for so long a time, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip?”

“How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?”

“Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me?”

C. List basic observations about this passage using the “Key Questions” for observation.
Remember to consult the list of items from the observation section in studying the

Gospels in Chapter 36. This will help you be more detailed in your answers to “who,”

“what,” “where,” “when,” “why,” and “how.”

1. Who: Jesus, Philip, Thomas, and all of the other disciples.

2. What: Jesus is telling the disciples not to be troubled because even though he is

leaving, they will not be alone.

3. Where: This was taking place in Jerusalem.

4. When: This was during Passover, after the seder.

5. Why: Jesus tells the disciples he is going where they cannot follow him and then he

predicts Peter’s betrayal.

6. How: Jesus tells the disciples to believe in him and to believe in God the father and to

take comfort.

III. Interpretation

A. Determine the author’s main point. In 1-2 paragraphs (100-400 words) explain what you
think the author is trying to communicate in this passage. Remember to take into
consideration that this passage includes a conversation that Jesus is having. Thus, this
passage is both showing and telling us something.
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The author, John, is trying to communicate that Jesus is the son of God. Furthermore, he is trying

to communicate that Jesus is one with God the father. The thing that sets a person apart as being

saved is believing in Jesus’ divine nature; he is one with the father and with the holy spirit. They

are three persons in the same God. This is confusing topic which is why John recorded Jesus

being clear about this. If the bible was not clear that Jesus is one with the father, many would

discount that sentiment as being too confusing. Also, if the bible did not tell us that Jesus was the

only to the father, as it does in this section, many would ease up on evangelizing, as they would

say that knowing Jesus is not the only way to get to heaven and depending on their own moral

standing which the bible makes clear is an impossible task.

B. Look again at the questions asked within the narrative. In 1 paragraph (200 words) explain
the purpose of these questions to the story, as well as how the particular question(s) that Jesus
asked related to his relationship with the other character(s).

There are four questions in the passage John 14:1-12. The first question is asked by Thomas, he

says, “How do we know the way?” To which Jesus replies that they already know the way, for he

is the way and they know him. The second question is asked by Jesus when he says, “Have I

been with you for so long a time, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip?” Which is to

assure Philip that he is asking to know the father, but they know the father since they know him.

“How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?” Jesus asks, with the same point in mind. “Do you not

believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me?” He asks his third question, pushing the

disciples to decide whether they believe Jesus is telling the truth or not. The purpose of all of

these questions is to demonstrate that Jesus says he is the son of God and that if you do not

believe he is, you cannot believe anything else he says.

C. Based on your answers above, narrow down one principle from this passage. You should be
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able to express this principle in 1-3 sentences.

Jesus is the son of God and he is God. He is the only way to be saved.

IV. Correlation

A. How does this passage fit within the metanarrative of the Bible? State
what type of story you believe this to be (creation, fall, redemption, or new creation) and
explain why you believe this to be so. Your explanation should be 1 paragraph (100-200
words) in length.

This not only fits into the metanarrative of the bible, this is the presupposition that all of the New

Testaments bases itself upon. Jesus is the son of God and if he is not, then he cannot be the

perfect sacrifice that saved everyone. If he is not the son of God, he is not worth listening to

because he himself said he was the son of God; anyone who makes that claim with no basis is

considered insane. There were plenty of good teachers and godly men, but even David, the man

after God’s own heart, was not sinless and could not save the world. No, for the bible to work,

Jesus has to be the sinless son of God and he has to be the only way to salvation.

B. How does this passage reflect other truths found in the

Scriptures? State and explain at least one way that the principle of this passage can be
identified elsewhere in the Bible. Your explanation should be 1 paragraph (100-200
words) in length.

In John 8:56-58, Jesus says, “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and

was glad.” So the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen

Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.” This

a reference to Exodus, when Moses asks God what he should tell the pharaoh when he asks what

God he should say he serves. God tells Moses to tell Pharaoh was I am who sent him. His Jewish

audience would have immediately understood this reference and that he was essentially saying

that he is God.
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C. How does this passage reflect the person and work of Jesus Christ?
State and explain at least one way that the principle of this passage identifies something
of the person and work of Jesus Christ. Your explanation should be 1 paragraph (100-200
words) in length.

Jesus’ purpose on earth was to live a perfect life and be the unblemished sacrifice for all people.

The only way he could be the perfect sacrifice is by being the son of God and taking human

form. He is telling his disciples, and by extension us, that he is the son of God and that the only

way to full communion with the father is through him. Jesus was a compassionate man and so he

wanted to make it clear to anyone that would read or hear that he was the only way to the father

and so if someone did not choose to follow him, they knew the consequences; they were not

obfuscated.

V. Application

What points of application can be made using the Four Questions for Application? State and
explain 1 point of application for your life for each of these four questions. Your explanation
for each of these points should be 1 paragraph (100-200 words) in length.

A. The question of duty

This passage shows us two duties that we have. One of our duties is to follow Jesus with

our whole hearts and acknowledge his deity. The other duty we have is tell other people

about Jesus’ life and sacrifice. This passage says that Jesus is the only way to full

communion with God the father and escape from eternal suffering and damnation, so we

have a moral duty to go and tell other people about him for the sake of their souls. It also

for their life on earth, it is much more pleasant to live with Christ than without him.

B. The question of character

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In terms of character, this passage has a lot to inform us about what type of person we

should strive to be. We should be faithful people. Jesus chastises his disciples when they

ask to see the father before they can believe. They have walked with Jesus and looked upon

his face and we as modern Christians tend to says, “If only I could talk to Jesus, if only I

could see him and hear his voice, then I would believe in him, then I could have faith in my

daily life.” But that is the same type of thing the disciples were saying. They were telling

Jesus to give them a sign and to prove himself, but Jesus was enough.

C. The question of goals

This passage shows us our ultimate goals. We have two goals as Christians. One is to fulfill

the great commission. We are compelled to fulfill that command because Jesus is the one

way to get to the father and escape eternal damnation. Our second goal is to achieve a level

of total faith in Jesus Christ our Lord and savior. The disciples are challenged to put their

full faith in Jesus without being shown the father, as it was already shown that Jesus was

the Lord and one with God because of the miracles and signs he performed. God is moving

all around us, miracles happen every day, we just must pay attention to them.

VI. Conclusion

Summarize your major points and concluding thoughts here.

Jesus is the son of God and he is one with God. We are compelled to give him our full faith and

worship. He is the only way to live a full life.

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Works Cited

MacDonald, William. Believer's Bible Commentary : Second Edition, edited by Arthur L.

Farstad, Thomas Nelson Incorporated, 1992.  ProQuest Ebook Central,

http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/liberty/detail.action?docID=5391565.

The Moody Bible Commentary, edited by Michael Rydelnik, and Michael Vanlaningham, Moody

Publishers, 2014.  ProQuest Ebook Central,

http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/liberty/detail.action?docID=4904665.

Zondervan. Zondervan Handbook to the Bible : Fifth Edition, HarperCollins Christian

Publishing, 2017. ProQuest Ebook Central,

http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/liberty/detail.action?docID=6121636.