Bible class today was ostensibly on John 21. (Hey, we did get to it evennntually. We DID.) Earlier in the Gospels there is a story similar to the post-Easter catch of fish. The mini-version is in Matthew 4 and the fuller version is in Luke 5. Pastor was pointing out the differences in the story, and how those differences are important.
So as we're going along, I wanted to know why Peter jumped into the water when John told him (21:7) that it was Jesus on shore. I knew that it's not just a history factoid of who did what when in the story, but there's something theological behind it too. I just didn't know what.
Nancy and Pastor started talking about the story where Jesus walked on the water (Mt 14, Mk 6, Jn 6). Peter wasn't sure it was the Lord; he doubted. He wanted to go to his teacher, and said, "If it is You, tell me to come." Jesus said, "Come," but still Peter sank in the water because his eyes were not fixed on Jesus.
Now, after Easter, after the absolution and the peace of the previous Sundays, Peter sees his lord and does not doubt, but goes to Him straightaway. Like Pastor said, when a person comes to faith and recognizes the voice of his Lord, what does he do? He heads straight for the water.
I thought that was cool.
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The real question is- why did they catch 153 fish?
ReplyDeleteSommmebody said we've put that off until next week's class. Then Pastor Suelflow said he had the answer to it, but the ornery fella wasn't sure he'd still remember it next week.
ReplyDelete::chuckles:: Lemme know whats said, I've heard several theories- each as odd at the last...
ReplyDeleteAll righty, Jeff. Pastor S said that he heard the rapture was going to occur in May of 2011 (or was it 2012?) and that 153 days later would come the destruction of the old earth & heavens.
ReplyDeleteNancy, however, had a better theory. She suggested that 153=51x3. Three being the number of the Holy Trinity. Fifty being the number of Pentecost (and thus also the Holy Spirit) and 51 being the day after, in other words, the Church after Pentecost. Definitely plausible. I'm not convinced by a long shot. But it's not bad.
Did Pastor Bender ever say what he thought the answer was?
ReplyDeleteMy favorite response so far has been that if you form a pyramid- with 17 on the bottom, then 16, then 15, all the way up to 1- you get 153.
Therefore the actual answer is 17- which is the number of completeness within the church (10 for the old testament law + 7 [4 being the number of man (4 gospels, 4 corners of the earth, 4 elements] + 3 [Father, Son, and Holy Spirit])
Think Ambrose came up with that one...
I like this rapture reference though! But those dates seem off. Last I checked the rapture would occur one generation after 1948 (when Israel became a state). Generation isn't totally defined in the Old Testament- but the general belief seemed to be 50, 70, or 100 years. We missed the 50, so it would seem it'll fall on either 2018 or 2048.
My knowledge comes from a series of Bible studies I did in High School arguing that the end was coming soon... Mostly based on the Left Behind series.
Ah my wayward youth... Ignorance was bliss.