BOERSMA_Reflective Reading_John
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Liberty University *
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Feb 20, 2024
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Uploaded by olivia3437
BIBL 110
R
EFLECTIVE
R
EADING
T
EMPLATE
Reflective Reading Passage: John 3:1-12
Use this template and the course texts The Inquisitive Christ and Approaching the New Testament to record brief notes for each step of the reflective reading process
. Step One: Prepare
Use this space to understand the key elements of context to your passage. Consulting Approaching the New Testament
, please complete the contextual information according to the information found in the course textbook:
According to
Approaching the New Testament, who is the author of this biblical book? The author of this biblical book is John, the son of Zebedee and disciple of Jesus.
According to
Approaching the New Testament
, when was this biblical book written? This biblical book was written in AD 80.
According to Approaching the New Testament
, what is the overall theme of the book? The theme of the book of John is “Jesus Christ is explicitly identified with God”/ “Jesus as the Christ, one with God.”
Step Two: Read
Use this space to re-write the full passage of scripture:
Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council.
2
He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”
3
Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.
[
a
]
”
4
“How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”
5
Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.
6
Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit
[
b
]
gives birth to spirit.
7
You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You
[
c
]
must be born again.’
8
The wind blows wherever it Page 1 of 3
BIBL 110
pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
[
d
]
9
“How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.
10
“You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things?
11
Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony.
12
I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?
Step Three: Reflect
Use this space to answer the following questions. Consult The Inquisitive Christ
for insight into pertinent Gospel texts. If there is dialogue in the passage, who is speaking?
Yes, there is dialog. Jesus is speaking to Nicodemus. What questions are asked in the passage? Nicodemus asked Jesus “How can someone be born when they are old?”
How would you answer the questions asked?
When Christians talk about being born again, we are not talking about being born of the flesh. We are talking about being reborn in the spirit and renewing ourselves spiritually. What words or phrases stand out to you? Are any words/themes repeated?
The phrase that stands out to me and is also repeated throughout the passage is “being born again.” What questions do you have as you read this passage?
I do not really understand what the last sentence of the passage means. I love the beauty of it and how it is a metaphor, but I need to do some research to understand what it means. Step Four: Pray
Use this space to formulate a prayer to God, dialoguing with Him about what he may be speaking to you in this passage:
Page 2 of 3
BIBL 110
Dear Lord, I thank you for this wonderful day and this opportunity to take this class to get a deeper understanding of Your Word. By reading this passage, it is clear to me that You want me to be more open with You and my mentors about questions I may have regarding my faith. You want me to be curious and find things out so my faith can be stronger in you. You want me to ask so that you can answer. Step Five: Respond
Use this space to contemplate how God may be asking you to respond to this passage in your life
with him:
I believe that God may be asking me to be more open about what I don’t understand about the Bible or my faith. Just because I am a Christian and believe the Bible
doesn’t mean that I am fully going to understand everything. I need to realize that it doesn’t make me less of a Christian if I have questions and seek answers to them and pray and meditate on them. Christianity is not a religion but rather a relationship and relationships get stronger the more you go through, and experience and I think that is very important for me to understand in my life. Page 3 of 3
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