I have been reading and re-reading John 14-17 for the last week or so. For my Gospel of John study, I decided to do a ‘manuscript’ study. Basically, I copied and pasted the bible (NASB) from Biblegateway onto a word document. I deleted all the verse breaks, titles and chapter breaks. Ending up with a lovely long document with no breaks in it other than the actual text and dialogue. Wonderful.
It really is amazing, as a side point, to look at scripture without the breaks in it, and just read the scripture from start to finish. You really see a lot of connections that were hindered by the verse divisions. It is harder to refer chapter 6 back to chapter 2, when every time you see a new chapter break, you think a new train of thought is beginning.
Anyway, I have found after my multiple readings of John 14 – 17 without chapter and verse divisions, that I am beginning to understand and find depth in the passage that I did not find before. Previously, I always felt like a ping-pong ball that kept bouncing off the surface of the text instead of diving into the real issues. At any rate, I have decided that the passage is all about abiding. Fellowshipping with the Holy Spirit. Being part of the Beloved. Accepted in the divine embrace. Intimacy with God. There are many terms for the exquisite delight of depth of relationship with God. But I love the reality that the passage talks about. In both deep language and yet startlingly simple language. If you do not abide, you will dry up and be like a dead branch and be tossed into the fire. A terrifyingly simple parable.
I love abiding. I need to do it more. Okay, I am going to now. End of post.
