Jesus According To John

Samuel Nelson

Theology 101

Dr. Boyle

9/26/04

Jesus According to John

"What was Jesus like?" is a question that haunts the minds of many people. The Bible contains several accounts of Jesus by recording some of his physical traits, his teachings, and miracles. A person can only speculate and theorize based upon what has been told through the Bible and personal belief. John's account of Jesus after the resurrection gives an image of a physically different Jesus than the one the people of old were used to, but still the same in other respects.

Jesus had become unrecognizable to those that used to know him. John 20:14 states, "When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know it was Jesus". Mary even mistakes Jesus for a gardener (John 20:15). Jesus is initially unrecognized by everyone; until he shows invariable proof that it is him. The wounds from the nails and spear still remain on his body, and he is required to display them for his disciples (John 20:20, 27). What is rather strange is that Jesus shows himself to the disciples later on, and they once again do not recognize him. Jesus had to create a miracle in order to make them see that it is him. It is almost as if a shroud of blindness follows Jesus and casts itself upon all those around him. A person could take this as a way of saying that when Jesus comes again, the world shall not recognize him, until He provides the signs we need to believe.

Jesus also manages to test the faith of those who knew him. He doesn't state that he is Jesus resurrected. He assumes that Mary should recognize him, as does he with all those who knew him well. In John 20:29, Jesus makes it very clear about the importance of faith and believing without seeing,