Christians should meditate on the feelings of absence that the disciples experienced when they felt alone after the arrest and crucifixion of Jesus Christ, Dr. Janine Hunger told FOX News Digital.
Mr. Hunger is an assistant professor at Biola University’s Talbot School of Theology in La Mirada, California.
“When my husband and I dropped our daughter off at college, I had no idea how much I would appreciate FaceTime,” Hanger told FOX News Digital via email. “What a joy it was to be able to see her in person while our family adjusted to her specific absence.”
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But while it was a relief to see her daughter “appear” on her phone, she said, it wasn’t the same as spending time with her in person.
“Jesus’ disciples go through a similar period of adjustment, from being with Jesus every day to having to adapt to life without Jesus,” Hunger said.
Biola University’s Dr. Janine Hunger reflected on the “Farewell Discourse” in the Gospel of John and what it means for Christians today. (iStock/Biola University)
In John’s Gospel, just before Jesus’ arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus gives a “Farewell Discourse,” or “a long conversation with His friends in preparation for His absence.” Hunger said.
The message “seems to be mixed,” she says.
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“On one hand, Jesus says to them, ‘I will leave you,’ and in the next breath, Jesus says, ‘I will be with you,'” Hunger said. .
“These are the words of life, a tangible reminder that we are not alone.”
She said it is “similar to a FaceTime call” where you are “with” someone but not physically present.
“Jesus, of course, talks about his death, his resurrection, his ascension, and the coming of the Holy Spirit,” she said.
“Although Jesus is no longer physically present, his unchanging Spirit assures us that he is near.”
After Jesus died, Jesus was no longer “physically present,” but that doesn’t mean he was completely gone, a theology doctor said. (St. Petersburg)
This “closeness” can be difficult for people to understand, she says.
“Consider this metaphor from Jesus’ Farewell Address: Jesus said, ‘I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener…and you are.’ [the disciples] It’s a branch,” she said.
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God’s mission of salvation began with Israel and is “now being realized through Jesus, the true vine and link of God’s people,” Hunger said.
“The Father cares for the vine by tending the branches (the disciples), and the disciples are exhorted to abide in Jesus, the vine.”
“The Father cares for the vine by tending the branches (disciples), and the disciples are encouraged to abide in Jesus, the vine.” This means that Christians can never be without Christ. reminds me. (St. Petersburg)
Hanger said she particularly likes this metaphor because it “depicts a stable relationship between Jesus and his disciples.”
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Mr. Hunger said, “This is not a story about how the branches connect and connect. There is no coveting, earning, or toiling to connect to the vine. This is a story about how the branches connect and connect. It’s a snapshot.”
Just as Ms. Hunger misses her daughter and longs to be with her, “I think sometimes we long for the embodied presence of Jesus,” she said. she said.
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“May we take encouragement from this garden landscape this Lent. These are the words of life, a tangible reminder that we are not alone.”
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