Thematic Bible: What the disciples know


Thematic Bible



Jesus' disciples came and said to Him, "Why are you speaking to them [i.e., the large crowds] by using parables?" He replied, "You disciples are being given an understanding of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but the crowds of people are not.

And when He was alone those people who gathered around Him, along with the twelve apostles, asked Him what the parables meant. He said to them, "You disciples are being given an understanding of the secret of the kingdom of God, but to outsiders everything will be told in parables.

Then Jesus' disciples asked Him what this parable meant. And He said to them, "You [disciples] are being given an understanding of the secrets of the kingdom of God, but the rest of the people [are being told] in parables, so that [even though they appear to be] seeing, they will not [actually] see; and [even though they seem to] hear, they will not understand.

Then He poured water into a basin and began washing His disciples feet and drying them with the towel around His waist. He came to Simon Peter, who said to Him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet, [too]?" Jesus answered him, "You do not understand what I am doing, but you will later on." read more.
Peter said to Him, "[No], you will never wash my feet." Jesus replied to him, "If I do not wash you, you will not be able to participate with me [i.e., as a disciple]." Simon Peter [then] said to Him, "Lord, do not [just] wash my feet only, but my hands and head, too."

This is the reason that I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles, [pray for you. See 3:14-19]. [Note: Paul here digresses from his prayer, begun in 1:15-16, to explain the circumstances of his being a prisoner on behalf of these Gentiles]. [I assume] you have heard about my commission [to minister] to you, which was given to me by God's unearned favor. [It is] that God's secret plan [i.e., revealed in the Gospel preached to Gentiles. See verse 6] was made known to me by way of a revelation. [See Acts 9:15; 22:21]. I have already written to you [about this] briefly [i.e., probably a reference to 1:9ff]. read more.
So, when you read this you will be able to understand my insight into the secret plan of Christ, which was not told to people of previous generations as it has now been revealed to His [i.e., Christ's] holy apostles and prophets by the Holy Spirit. This secret plan is that the Gentiles [now] share in the inheritance along with us [Jews], and are fellow-members of the body [i.e., the church], and that they share, along with us [Jews], in the promise of the Gospel, in [fellowship with] Christ Jesus.

Jesus' disciples came and said to Him, "Why are you speaking to them [i.e., the large crowds] by using parables?" He replied, "You disciples are being given an understanding of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but the crowds of people are not.

And when He was alone those people who gathered around Him, along with the twelve apostles, asked Him what the parables meant. He said to them, "You disciples are being given an understanding of the secret of the kingdom of God, but to outsiders everything will be told in parables.

Then Jesus' disciples asked Him what this parable meant. And He said to them, "You [disciples] are being given an understanding of the secrets of the kingdom of God, but the rest of the people [are being told] in parables, so that [even though they appear to be] seeing, they will not [actually] see; and [even though they seem to] hear, they will not understand.

Then He poured water into a basin and began washing His disciples feet and drying them with the towel around His waist. He came to Simon Peter, who said to Him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet, [too]?" Jesus answered him, "You do not understand what I am doing, but you will later on." read more.
Peter said to Him, "[No], you will never wash my feet." Jesus replied to him, "If I do not wash you, you will not be able to participate with me [i.e., as a disciple]." Simon Peter [then] said to Him, "Lord, do not [just] wash my feet only, but my hands and head, too."

This is the reason that I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles, [pray for you. See 3:14-19]. [Note: Paul here digresses from his prayer, begun in 1:15-16, to explain the circumstances of his being a prisoner on behalf of these Gentiles]. [I assume] you have heard about my commission [to minister] to you, which was given to me by God's unearned favor. [It is] that God's secret plan [i.e., revealed in the Gospel preached to Gentiles. See verse 6] was made known to me by way of a revelation. [See Acts 9:15; 22:21]. I have already written to you [about this] briefly [i.e., probably a reference to 1:9ff]. read more.
So, when you read this you will be able to understand my insight into the secret plan of Christ, which was not told to people of previous generations as it has now been revealed to His [i.e., Christ's] holy apostles and prophets by the Holy Spirit. This secret plan is that the Gentiles [now] share in the inheritance along with us [Jews], and are fellow-members of the body [i.e., the church], and that they share, along with us [Jews], in the promise of the Gospel, in [fellowship with] Christ Jesus.