"What's in a Name?" John 1:29-42 | Episode 240

In this week's Gospel text, Jesus is named "The Lamb of God" and Simon becomes Cephas/Peter. Elizabeth Garnsey and John Kennedy dive into these different names and the symbolism found in their stories. Plus, John offers a hot take on Anselm's theory of atonement and how it might've been misunderstood all along.

Questions for Further Discussion:

Themes and Application

1. Names matter deeply in this passage: Jesus is named, Simon is renamed Peter, and John the Baptizer points away from himself. How do names and labels shape identity, vocation, and calling in our own lives?
2. Jesus does not explain, persuade, or argue. He invites. How does “come and see” challenge modern expectations that faith should be fully explained or defended upfront?
3. Discipleship in John is deeply imitative. We become who we follow. Who or what do you notice shaping your habits, values, and imagination right now?

Personal Reflection

1. Which title for Jesus in this passage resonates most with you right now, and why? Lamb of God, Rabbi, Messiah, Son of God, Light, Word?
2. What does “abiding” mean in your daily life? Where do you sense yourself truly dwelling, spiritually or emotionally?
3. Can you recall a moment when being “seen” or “named” by someone changed how you understood yourself?

Broader Spiritual Considerations

1. How does rethinking sacrifice reshape our image of God? What might it mean to say God absorbs violence rather than demands it?
2. The discussion frames sin less as rule-breaking and more as separation, division, and “us vs. them.” How does this understanding change repentance or reconciliation?
3. If Jesus shows us what true humanity looks like, what habits, assumptions, or behaviors might need to be unlearned to follow him more fully?

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