This gospel is unique - it has long, extended sermons by Jesus. Lengthy, interactive teachings with individuals and crowds. Each section is preluded by a very interesting event: The Woman at the Well, The Sickman At Bethesda Pool, Feeding of the Five Thousand. And it's three different audiences: first it is the disciples and some citizens of Samaria, then it is religious leaders in Jerusalem, and then it is disciples and crowds in Galilee.
Included in there is the second sign - the healing of the official's sign. There will be seven signs altogether in this gospel - look for them! Actually there is eight - can you figure out the significance?
It's really interesting, at one point in his confrontation with the religious leaders, he acknowledges that they constantly have their heads in their Bibles. Jesus points out that they are looking for the key to eternal life - but when Jesus shows up, offering eternal life, they miss the point. Jesus goes out of his way to reiterate: the Scriptures are about me!
So, as you get your head in your Bible, let each major section of Scripture - Torah, the Writings and Prophets, the Gospels, the Letters - teach you more about Jesus. Whether it's the background and history of Jesus' nationality and religion, whether it's the political and economic realities, whether it's the laws and commands, all the Bible helps us understand Jesus.
And Jesus is the one we want to get into our heads, into our hearts. We don't read the Bible just for knowledge of Jesus though, we read it as a way to help us follow Jesus. We follow Jesus by believing him when he says to love God and love our neighbor, to forgive those who sin against us. If reading the Bible doesn't help us love in the way of Jesus, we have missed the forest for the trees.
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