By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)
The miracle of Jesus turning water into wine at the wedding at Cana is the first of Jesus’ miracles recounted in the Gospel of John, and as such it marks a decisive moment in the story of Jesus’ divinity. But there are several mysterious details about the story which are worthy of closer analysis, not least the matter of where ‘Cana’ exactly was.
By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)
Say the name ‘Mary Magdalene’ to most people and they will say that she was present at the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus in the New Testament narrative. The other thing people might say is, ‘Wasn’t she a prostitute?’ The first of these is true while the second is more complicated. Who was Mary Magdalene? And did she really wash the feet of Jesus in her tears?
By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)
What do the phrases ‘salt of the earth’, ‘light of the world’, ‘God and mammon’, ‘blessed are the meek’, ‘turn the other cheek’, and ‘pearls before swine’ all have in common? Along with another now ubiquitous expressions, they all originate in the same place: the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus’ teachings to his followers which is recounted in the Gospel of Matthew.
By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)
The most detailed and influential account of the birth of Jesus Christ is found in the Gospel of Luke. But Luke’s account, as well as being much more informative than the one we find in the Gospel of Matthew, is the version of events which does the most to strain readerly credulity.
Details of the census which Joseph and Mary had to undertake to Bethlehem, not to mention the account of the birth of Jesus and his being laid in a manger, are found in the Gospel of Luke, so let’s take a closer look at what the Gospel says.