Friday, October 16, 2009

Bible Alive: Faith in John


Answer the following questions:

1. Read John 17:3. It seems that for John, faith is similar to what Paul thinks about it. But what does John place greater stress on concerning faith? To believe in Christ is to ______ Him.

2. Read Jn 16:30 and and 6:69. Is the object of faith more explicit in John than elsewhere in the New Testament? Who is the object of faith?

3. Read Jn 5:19-27, 12:44, 49, 14:1, 6-11, 16:27-30; and 1 Jn 2:23. Who, according to John, shares a unique unity with the Father? Say I have faith in this one; who then automatically have I faith in also?

4. Read Jn 14:15-23, 15:15, 26, 16:13. Can the knowledge of God be assimilated independently, or by human power, according to John? What is the only way this can be?

5. Read Jn 6:44-46, 57. What is the only way by which we share in Christ’s own filial knowledge of God?

6. Read Jn 3:16-17, 36, 5:24; 1 Jn 3:1, 15, 5:12-13. What, according to John, does the believer already possess? What is this? What does it consist of (Jn 17:3, 24, 26; 1 Jn 3:1-2)?

7. Read Jn 2:22, 5:47, 8:45. There is something unique about John’s take on faith. What is it? What then is faith according to John?

8. Read Jn 17:20. What also must I place my trust in, according to John, of which faith consists?

9. Read 1 Jn 5:7-12; Jn 1:29-35; 14:12-14. What does faith involve, according to John? Is the role of this figure emphasized in John’s writings? Does creation play a part in this according to John? What Catholic principle then is especially stressed in John’s writings.

10. Read Jn 3:36 (cf. 3:18-20). What does faith bring us, according to John? What does unfaith bring us, according to John?

11. Read Jn 1:10-11. What is the greatest tragedy according to John?

12. Read 1 Jn 3:23. What for John is the work of faith? Is this like Paul?

13. Let’s summarize faith in John. Gather all these themes.

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Bible Alive: Faith in the Synoptic Gospels & Acts


Answer the following questions after watching the slideshow.

1. Describe faith according to the theology of the Synoptic Gospels.

2. Read Mt 9:28 and Mk 4:40 and Lk 8:25. What does Jesus in the Synoptics demand?

3. Read Mk 5:34, 36, 9:23, 11:22-23; Lk 17:6. In the Synoptics, the act of faith is being first directed toward whom?

4. Read Mk 8:27-30, 38. In the Synoptics, is faith directed toward another person? If so, to whom? Of what would that faith, according to the Synoptics, consist?

5. Read Mk 9:37; 12:1-11, 35-37; Mt 10:32-33, 11:27-30, 16:17-19. What lies behind every utterance of Jesus about faith in the Synoptics? Describe it.

6. Let’s summarize Synoptic faith. Gather all these themes.

7. Describe faith according to the theology of Acts.

8. Read Acts 8:12-14. Describe faith in that passage. What is being received? From who? In what form is that which is given?

9. Read Acts 5:14, 9:42, 11:17, 15:1. In Acts, who are “believers”? Can they be people who get convinced of what the Apostles tell them and stay alone? Why or why not? What, according to Acts, is the object of belief and on what is that centered?

10. Read Acts 2:36. Make no mistake—what, according to Acts, is the heart of faith?

11. Read Acts 2:38, cf. 10:43-48, 18:8, 20:21. How does one express, according to Acts, acceptance of the crucified and risen Jesus as Lord?

12. What else, according to what we have seen so far, does Acts say faith requires?

13. Since, according to Acts, God’s Word is personified in Christ, what does faith necessarily involve? Can this relationship be individualistic, one-on-one (see Acts 9:1-5)? Why or why not?

14. In what we have seen so far, in Acts can faith simply be a subjective attitude, or must it be something more? If so, what does it embody (according to Acts)?

15. Let’s summarize faith in Acts. Gather all these themes.