Christ the Savior-Holy Spirit Orthodox Church
Archpriest Steven C. Kostoff
4285 Ashland Ave, Cincinnati OH 45212 - (513) 351-0907
2012 Bible Study - JN 1-11, The Book of Signs: Notes for Summer Bible Study 2012
SUMMER BIBLE STUDY 2012

May 30, 2012

SUMMER BIBLE STUDY
2012


The “Book of Signs”

Wednesday Evenings at 7:45pm,
preceded by Vespers at 7:00pm
beginning June 6


Following Pentecost, our Summer Bible Study will begin on Wednesday evening, June 6, at 7:30 p.m. in the Education Center in the church basement.  We will read, study and discuss the first eleven chapters of St. John’s Gospel, known as the “Book of Signs.”  We read and heard a few of these “signs” during the paschal Sundays that we just recently completed.*  Now we can go back and take a look at these signs in greater detail, for the homilies this year concentrated on the ACTS OF THE APOSTLES.  Each “sign” (and we will discuss that peculiar Johannine term in detail)  is a profound and multi-leveled presentation of the Gospel in miniature, revealing who Jesus is and what He has appeared to accomplish.  Join us for the Bible Study. Bring a friend.  As I like to say, the Bible Study is a parish event – as the study of the living Word of God how could it not be? – and not simply a “summer filler.”
 
 
-- Fr Steven


MORE ON THE BIBLE STUDY
What we'll be studying.

Extensive Notes and Additional Resources from our 2012 Bible Study

In the first half of St. John’s Gospel (following the magnificent prologue of 1:1-18) we read of the great “signs” worked by Jesus “The Word made flesh.”  These “signs” are the miracles which reveal the true nature of Christ and His ministry as well as pointing forward to the sacramental life of the Church following the Cross and Resurrection.  The Seven Signs are:

  • THE WEDDING AT CANA OF GALILEE (2:1-11)
  • HEALING OF THE ROYAL OFFICIAL’S SON AT CANA (4:46-54)
  • HEALING OF THE PARALYTIC AT THE POOL OF BETHESDA (5:1-15)
  • MULTIPLICATION OF THE LOAVES IN GALILEE (6:1-15)
  • WALKING UPON THE SEA OF GALILEE (6:16-21)
  • HEALING OF THE BLIND MAN IN JERUSALEM (9:1-41)
  • RAISING OF LAZARUS FROM THE DEAD IN BETHANY (11:1-44)


In addition, we hear the profound “Discourses” of Christ which further reveal the meaning of the signs and of His Messiahship.  These include:

  • DISCOURSE WITH NICODEMUS IN JERUSALEM (3:1-21)
  • DISCOURSE WITH THE SAMARITAN WOMAN (4:4-42)
  • DISCOURSE ON HIS WORK ON THE SABBATH (5:15-47)
  • DISCOURSE ON THE BREAD OF LIFE (6:25-71)
  • DISCOURSE AT THE MIDDLE OF THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES (7:14-36)
  • DISCOURSE ON THE GOOD SHEPHERD (10:1-18)



For additional reading on some of the scenes and themes we will be discussing, you are invited to explore our special pages from The Sundays of Pascha:


BEGINNING WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6, AT 7:45 P.M.
(We will first serve Vespers at 7:00 p.m.)

Come and deepen your knowledge
of the Lord and of the Scriptures!