What is Jesus’ abundant life all about?
We know that in John 10:10 Jesus says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly” (NRSV). But what does he mean?
That is the question I want to answer in this series of posts. I am exploring the cultural and grammatical context of the phrase, how the author uses the same words in other places, and possible modern applications.
The ultimate end goal is to write the book, Abundance Reconstructed, which invites the reader to consider what Jesus’ abundant life might look like on the other side of Christian deconstruction.
Is there a better question to ask about the man born blind? The disciples saw the man and from their world of transcendent-enchantment asked, “Who sinned?” The assumption is that it must be the man or his parents. In our world of immanent-disenchantment we ask, “Who’s to blame?” We use frameworks like meritocracy and victimhood …
We are born in the void. We return there even after presence finds us. So how does God light up the darkness? We see it described metaphorically in the Genesis account. Jesus does this work throughout his time on earth. He also invites his followers to participate in it. But how are we to live …
Jesus’ response to the man born blind moves to reveal him as someone made in the spitting image of the divine. At least that is a playful way to talk about Jesus’ actions that answer the question, “What now?” When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva …
After covering the blind man’s eyes with mud, the one who God sent to continue the divine creative work sends the man to a pool that means “sent” to wash. When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man’s eyes, saying …
After covering the blind man’s eyes with mud, the one who God sent to continue the divine creative work sends the man to a pool that means “sent” to wash. When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man’s eyes, saying …