Loving Rascal

Jesus appeared to Peter three times after the resurrection, anointed him, and sent him to be his witness (John 20-21). Still, Peter couldn't grasp the message. That's why Jesus asked him three times whether he loved Jesus and his Kingdom more than fishing. If he truly did, Peter wouldn't be bothering about fishing. Instead, he would be feeding and caring for Jesus' flock by giving them bread, which signifies God's word. Some scholars have wrongly connected Jesus' questions to Peter with Peter's denial. There is a connection between the denials and approvals, but it is not about three curses being overcome by three blessed confessions. Rather, it is a literary connection where three denotes some form of perfection. Peter denied Jesus perfectly, and Jesus perfectly made him confess his lack of love for Jesus. In the context of John 21, Jesus' conversation with Peter must be seen as an extended "call narrative." Jesus is surpr...

Father.   Father is a figure we all need. Many of us consider our father as our hero or our guide. My daughter used to say, "Dad. I love you because you listen to me." I used to praise my father for his sacrificial love for his younger brothers and for how he denied himself to raise them up to be successful humans. He came to Kerala 60 years ago. At that time, he didn't know Malayalam or Malayalis. His wife still struggles to buy groceries from a Malayali shop. Still, they managed. Despite a lack of education, money, and people of their own tribe, Papa built a successful business and took good care of his children and extended family. Even so, no one can be right or great in every matter. After my conversion to Jesus Christ, he was extremely angry with me and cast me out of his house for a brief time. Papa suffered a bad name in his society because of me. When I left, I was left with nothing but God.   Even now, some of my relatives find it chal...

God made Moses like a God to the Pharaoh and a Prophet to Israel. God had to say, "I AM" who I am, because the Pharaohs of this world compared him to the sun, the moon, the stars, and even reptiles of this fallen world. God felt so insulted, perhaps, that when he introduced himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, he needed to tell Moses not to get confused by worldly comparisons. He is of 'a' kind; He is unique; He is who He is! Likewise, God made Moses unique to the Israelites when he said, "See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh (Exodus 7:1).”   Similarly, Jesus, the prophet like Moses, the shepherd King like David, and Yahweh personified as the Shepherd and Savior of Israel had to remind his disciples, "I AM the Good Shepherd" (John 10:1) lest they get lost in details by comparing him with Moses, David, Elijah, Jeremiah, and John the Baptist. Jesus is who he is! He is unique, the unique Son of God = the Royal Davidic...

Jesus felt the pain of the one who could not feel his own pain, and He touched him to heal. The leper had death and decay reigning in him, but still could not feel a thing. [1] Likewise, many people of our present world cannot feel the pain, though sin, death, and decay are reigning among them. They have lost all consciousness of pain, the pain that would lead them to repentance and acceptance in the Lord. Like Jesus felt the pain of the leper in his innermost parts, the creator feels the pain of his out-of-joint creation filled with injustice, immortality, and idolatry in his innermost being. [2] When the leper confronted or pleaded (depending upon the version of Mark’s story), Jesus healed him. Jesus said angrily or empathetically (depending upon the manuscript of Mark’s story we prefer), “I’m willing.” [3]   Similarly, God is willing and perhaps passionate to heal the painless sinner, who cannot feel the pain of separation from God. And, he lives in luxury, pleasure, and o...

Into the Heart of Romans by Prof. N.T Wright is a remarkable work of a saint of God to lead us deeper into the heart of God. The groaning of God's spirit within a faithful child of God reflects and parallels the groaning of the whole creation for its final redemption (8:22-27). Yahweh's covenantal Love, personified in Jesus’ self-giving love reflected in his cross and resurrection, poured out into our hearts by his spirit (5:5), prepares us to participate in the sufferings of God's son and his out-of-joint world as we face the seven foes and their ten weapons as sheep counted for slaughter (8:18-39). Even so, nothing can separate us from His enduring love (8:39). Paul's assurance comes from the resurrection event. As Prof. Wright's driver notes, "If God raised Jesus from the dead, everything else is rock and roll, ain't it?" The same Torah that hitherto condemned a loyal Jew is now a believer’s justifier because of Jesus' cross and the giving of th...

I don't preach Christianity. I believe in Knowing Jesus because knowing Jesus is knowing God. Jesus is God's love in human form. Vivekananda said, "If I lived in Jesus' era, I would have washed his feet with my blood, and not with water." The word gospel means "the announcement of the good news of an emperor born" in Israel, as God had promised the Hebrew people. The gospels –Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John– answer the question, "Who is Jesus?" and "Why did he come?" The first question has two parts: Who does Jesus claim to be (Messianic King, Israel's Savior, and God in human form)? And, what do people consider him (Prophet, Teacher, Activist, False Messiah, Liberator)? The second question has many parts, such as, "Did he come to save Israel from Roman oppression or the power of Sin and the Devil?" "Does he save only Israel or other people groups also?" Further, "Is the salvation physical and tangible or is...