Premium Essay

John 12 Symbolism

Submitted By
Words 354
Pages 2
John 12

In John 12, Jesus is eating dinner in Bethany, and Mary, the sister of Lazarus, anoints Jesus’ feet with an expensive bottle of perfume and wipes them off with her hair. (John 12:1-3) Now, Judas Iscariot is there and witnesses it, but all he is focused on is the money Mary just “wasted” when she did that. He doesn’t ask her why she did that or anything like that but criticizes her for wasting money she could have given to the poor. Often, I get focused on a tiny detail that I miss the bigger picture, and that is what Judas does. He entirely misses the symbolism of it but focuses on the price tag on that bottle of perfume instead. If Judas hadn’t been nit-picking a tiny detail and been looking at the whole picture, he might have realized

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Why John Is the Most Jewish Gospel

...While numerous scholars say that John is the Gospel to the world (and Matthew to the Jews, Mark to the Romans, and Luke to the Greeks), a Jewish scholar such as Israel Abrahams might very well believe that the Gospel of John is the most Jewish Gospel of the four by the way it reflects Jewish traditions and symbolisms. According to David Wenham[i], there is more attention given to Jesus as the Messiah in the Gospel of John than in any of other Gospels. In John, from chapter one onwards people are directly talking about Jesus as Messiah, and then there is intense public debate about whether Jesus is Messiah or not in John 7:25-31, 41-44[ii], which indicates that John is quite mindful of Jewish issues. Wenham also asserts that there is a greater emphasis on Jesus' participation in the Jewish festivals in Jerusalem. While the synoptic Gospels only describe the fully-grown Jesus going up to Jerusalem for the Passover at the end of his ministry, John reports Jesus going up to at least two Passovers, the Feast of Tabernacles and the Feast of Dedication (Hanukah). That might not prove anything, but it seems likely that John perceives Jesus as in some way fulfilling the symbolism of those Jewish festivals. The feast of Passover, referred to in John 6, celebrated the exodus from Egypt, and so Jesus within that context speaks of himself as the true bread come down from heaven (i.e. as the new manna 6:32-51). The feast of tabernacles, referred to in John 7 and 8, involved a water-pouring...

Words: 658 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

How Does Raymond Carver Use Symbols In The Chrysanthemums

...Benjamin Steele English 113 Dr. Gorman 2/9/2016 Question 2 Symbolism is a tool writers can use to imply ideas or qualities by the use of symbols. Stories filled with symbols can turn readers into investigators; keeping an eye out for anything and everything that can have an implied meaning. Raymond Carver, Ernest Hemingway, and John Steinbeck are masters at using symbolism to communicate to their readers. To no surprise these writers also use symbolism in the title of their stories. Three examples of this would be Raymond Carver’s story “Cathedral”, Ernest Hemingway’s story “Hills Like White Elephants”, and John Steinbeck’s story “The Chrysanthemums”. The question is; what is the symbolic meaning behind each of to these story...

Words: 802 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Yellow Wall Paper

...well, talks about her personal travel in to the world where an illness has brought her. All her thought and feelings are written in a journal and as she goes down in to the world that she has created in the confines of the room where she was kept. The story line presents that the narrator's mental condition is getting worse, leading to psychosis. Gilman explains the complexities of woman nature as she uses symbolisms to define the psychological realms of the plot. “The Yellow Wallpaper” ​The unnamed woman in this story (believed to be the author herself) fantasies about the yellow wallpaper are driving her mad. The protagonist experienced hallucinations and persistent thoughts over things. Crawling women, colorful artwork and a moving pattern depict the narrator's increased anxiety and impaired judgment, "Through watching so much at night, when it changes so, I have finally found out" (Gilman 7). The developments happening in the Balogun 2 wallpaper greatly signifies the progress of the narrator's mental sickness. Evidently, the author is utilizing symbolism in the short story, whereas the protagonist watches herself completely free from inhibitions and...

Words: 1426 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Death Be Not Proud

...COURSE # AND TITLE: ENGL 102-D11: Literature and Composition SEMESTER OF ENROLLMENT: Spring 2013 NAME: Greg Mohnkern ID: L23191458 WRITING STYLE USED: Essay of poetry (MLA style) Thesis Statement: “Death be not proud” by John Donne personifies death, as its title aptly prescribes. Giving death human traits allows the writer to blast him with colorful images full of sarcasm and a tone of defiance. The ultimate message of the author provokes the human soul to resist the fear of death. Outline: Introduction: Thesis statement Transition: Discuss the writer’s life in relationship to the subject of the poem Body: Discuss the poem’s form based on the 14-line Petrarch sonnet Evaluate the mood and tone as it changes through the thoughts expressed by the writer Review the uses of symbolism and imagery Review the poet’s theme based on mortality and hope Summary: Donne successfully encourages the reader to reevaluate the power of death The Death of the Power of Death “Death be not proud” by John Donne personifies death. The poem is an apostrophe. By giving death human traits it allows Donne to blast his vilified opponent with colorful images full of sarcasm and a strong tone of defiance. The title is drawn from the first line of the poem, as this is the tenth of Donne’s “Holy Sonnets,” according to Louis Untermeyer, in his work Lives of the Poet ( 136). The ultimate message of the author is to provoke the human soul to resist the...

Words: 1036 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

In Flanders Field Figurative Language Essay

...What poem do I think is the best poem in the world? The answer to that would be the poem In Flanders Field by Dr. John McCrae. I have known this poem for most of my life growing up. We would always learn about it in school around Remembrance Day. As Canadians, this poem is very important because it was written in the First World War by a Canadian lieutenant who was inspired to write it after the death of his friend. It reminds us about how we are free and what people did so that we could live in a free country. In Canada, In Flanders Field is one of the nation’s best-known literary works. In this analysis, we will look at the different figures of speech, symbols, and the meters. In Flanders Field is written in the format of a French randeau. It is a lyric poem and consists of three stanzas with a total of 15 lines. One of the main literary devices that is in this poem is alliteration. Alliteration is the repetition of a constant sound. In this poem, there is repetition in lines 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, and 12. Some examples are: Flanders Fields, loved and were loved and now we lie, the larks still bravely singing fly. The author uses alliteration for different reasons. Alliteration creates rhythm in poetry. It sounds better and makes the poem flow. Also to make you remember. People remember alliteration phrases so easily. In line 13, there is an assonance in the poem. An assonance is a repetition of a vowel sound followed by a different consonant sound. The one in...

Words: 807 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Whatever

...Sexual Persuasion "The Flea" by John Donne, and “To His Coy Mistress” by Andrew Marvel, are two greatly similar poems about expressing love through sex. In both poems the speakers propose a sinful offer that they back up with reasonable arguments. In “The Flea”, the narrator is trying to persuade a woman to have sex with him by symbolizing a flea, while the narrator in “To His Coy Mistress” is using the idea of carpe diem to convince his lover that she must take advantage of her youth and surrender her virginity. The men design the arguments to induce thoughts of sensual nature that can be used to trick the women into accepting their sexual offers. Though the poems display their themes in different styles, both poems use clever metaphors, symbols and imagery to present a persuasive approach. While “The Flea” seems to be a rather shallow attempt to get a lover into bed, the powerful imagery and symbolism lends the poem to a much deeper analysis. Donne utilizes the most common yet filthy creature, a flea, in an attempt to bestow upon his lover a feeling of not only unity, but, ultimately, an obligation to sleep with him. The flea represents an imaginative metaphor that extends throughout the poem and incorporates great irony as the creature bites both of the lovers and feasts on the mingling of their blood. The speaker uses this imagery of the physical merging of the two lovers’ blood to evoke a sense of literal unity. He states, “And in this flea our two bloods mingled be” and...

Words: 637 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Symbolism In The Masque Of The Red Death

...Many authors use symbolism to heighten the meaning of their themes and ideas by connecting their symbols to commonly known sources or objects. For instance, within Edgar Allen Poe’s “Masque of the Red Death” symbolism is used heavily throughout this short story and are linked to some commonly known material. The “Masque of the Red Death” focuses on a chaotic theme of death and chaos. Poe uses symbolism to portray his theme through the seven chambers in the prince’s home and these rooms together are linked by colors and Biblical references. In “Masque of the Red Death”, Edgar Allen Poe uses symbolism to establish the chaotic theme represented through the seven chambers. First Poe had used symbolism within this short story to establish...

Words: 1202 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Symbolism in the Red Badge of Courage

...Symbolism in The Red Badge of Courage The term Symbolism can be defined as the use of symbols to represent ideas, natural objects or facts (Mork). Throughout history, Symbolism has been used as a means of uniquely conveying certain messages across a public spectrum. Take for example the Underground Railroad system before the Civil War. Many slaves made quilts containing several pictures and symbols as a means of secretly communicating with other slaves (Breneman). The use of symbolism can especially be seen in literature; a great example of this is Stephen Crain’s novel The Red Badge of Courage. Written in 1895, the plot mainly takes place in the Civil War, more specifically in The Battle of Chancellorsville. It is said that this battle was one of the bloodiest battles in the Civil War (The New York Times). The story centers around a young man Henry Fleming, who is very much obsessed with fame and recognition. Part of this obsession makes him join the Union Army, as an attempt to die with honor and to be forever immortalized by fame. Crane makes use of Symbolism through his characters, such as Henry, and the environment in which these characters are placed in. Through the use of Symbolism, Crane is introducing and informing the readers about the concept of Naturalism in such a subtle yet effective manner. Crane’s novel is filled with symbolism, take the title for example. Back in that time period, Civil War solders used the term red badge to describe a blood stain or wound attained...

Words: 1751 - Pages: 8

Free Essay

A Valediction Forbidding Mourning

...John Donne, a seventeenth-century English poet, was born in London in 1572 and known for his ingenuous style of writing (Bloom 10). According to Christopher Moore, an English writer, Donne’ poetry is colloquial in diction and has the flexibility and liveliness of spoken language which imparts an energy and force perfectly capturing his mercurial jumps in thought and description; his poetry is filled with unusual images and metaphor for the fact most of it deals with love and relations between the sexes (Moore 12). Besides “The Flea,” “The Good Morrow,” and others, “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning” is another famous masterpiece for which John Donne is recognized. Izaak Walton, a contemporary of John Donne, stated that “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning” was addressed to Donne’s wife, Anne More, on the occasion of his leaving for a continental trip in 1611 (Bloom 63). Donne’s poem is a good example that shows his metaphysical wit, a term was conferred on him along with his followers, George Herbert, Richard Crashaw, and others by Samuel Johnson, a critic and essayist in the eighteenth-century (Bloom12). To sum up, Donne’s “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning” (Apr 84) is such a love and farewell speech among which he uses a series of simile, symbolism, and analogy to express his feelings and comfort his wife while he is abroad. Donne, in the first two stanzas, uses the image of virtuous men’s death as a metaphor to his separation from his wife to tell her their love is so great...

Words: 1132 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Heart of Darkness

...re of uncertainty and doubt.’ 1 But is this reading accurate? And if so, what stylistic devices does Conrad use in order to convey this position of ‘uncertainty’? Heart of Darkness uses an oblique narrative style, that is to say, t hat an unnamed narrator relates the narrative as it is in turn rel ated to him by Marlow, Conrad’s main protagonist in the novella. It is thus we can be to ld that for Marlow: ‘the meaning of an episode was not inside like a ke rnel but outside, enveloping the tale which brought it out only as a glow brings out a haze, in the likeness of one of those misty halos t hat are sometimes made visible by the spectral illumination of moonsh ine.’ 2 1 Ian Watt, Impressionism and Symbolism in Heart of Darkness in Robert Kimbrough, ed. Heart of Darkness: A Norton Critical Edition , 3 rd ed. (New York: Norton, 1988) p. 316 2 Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness , ed....

Words: 1472 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

American Literature

...Topic 1: “Young Goodman Brown” Written by: Nathaniel Hawthorne Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in 1804 in Salem, Massachusetts, and raised by his widowed mother. Hawthorne’s ancestors were several of the earliest settlers of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. John Hathorne (original spelling of the family name), was his great-grandfather, who served as a judge at the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. Hawthorne felt fascination and shame for his family’s involvement in the witch trials and integrated those feelings into his fiction. Nathaniel Hawthorne believed in the existence of the devil and believed in predestination. “Young Goodman Brown” attests to Hawthorne's symbolic habit of mind and to his interest in the past, myth, and human psychology.” (Nineteenth-Century Literary Criticism). This suggests how Hawthorne’s novels, led critics to consider him a pioneer of psychological fiction. Topic 2: “Young Goodman Brown” Goodman Brown is a young faithful Christian whose begins to question his faith after a meeting in the forest with the devil. Goodman has always believed that everyone around him is of one accord not only with them-selves but also with God. When he meets face to face with the devil, Goodman is astonished that the devil appears to him as a resemblance of himself. “…and bearing a considerable resemblance to him, though perhaps more in expression than features.” (Kennedy and Gioia 343). This suggests that Goodman...

Words: 1481 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Eng Hons

...G-DTN-M-FORA ENGLISH Paper—I (Literature) Time Allowed : Three Hours Maximum Marks : 300 INSTRUCTIONS Candidates should attempt Question Nos. I and 5 which are compulsoty, and any three of the remaining questions. selecting at least one question from each Section. The number of marks carried by each question is indicated at the end of the question. Answers must be written in English. Important : Whenever a Question is being attempted, all its parts/sub-parts must be attempted contiguously. This means that before moving on to the next Question to be attempted, candidates must finish attempting all parts/sub-parts of the previous Question attempted. This is to be strictly followed. Pages left blank in the answer-book are to he clearly struck out in ink. A fly answers that follow pages left blank may not be given credit [I] SECTION—A 1. Write short notes on each of the following. Each question should be answered in 150 words : 12x5=60 (a) In King Lear -Cordelia's goodness is as absolute and inexplicable as her sisters' reprovable badness...." Critically analyse the above statement with reference to your reading of King Lear. (b) -The Classical humanism of the Renaissance was fundamentally medieval and fundamentally Christian...." Critically analyse this statement. (c) How do the 'Sylphs' help in the development of the 'mock-epic' element in The Rape of the Lock ? (d) "The Romantic age marks the end of pastoral poetry in the very shock of its collision with actual...

Words: 1207 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Final Research Paper

...Research Paper 1 Introduction to Sociology Richard Fields SOC 101: Research Paper Jeremy Baker December 2, 2013 Research Paper 2 Research Paper This outline paper contains the importance of three Sociological theories, Functionalism, Conflict and Interaction of the sociological institution of economics. It discusses five different elements; (1) how each theory that applies to the sociological institution, (2) what is the same and differences, (3) how each theory affects the views of the individual who is part of the institution, (4) the approach to social change within the institution, and lastly (5) how each theory affects the views of society. Along with how does each theory apply to the sociological institution or economics. The functionalism theory in regards to economics does certainly affect the world which we live in. This change is noted by Hegelian dialectics, functionalism and structuralism, (Karsten, 2005). There are economies becoming intertwined within the increasing internet of the global economy. Enterprises have developed a global idea by internationalizing their products and services, encouraging labor and capital to move quickly among industrialized countries, affecting social, fiscal, and monetary policies. Additional developments have increased awareness on a global scale, human rights, the environment, demographics, and natural...

Words: 2559 - Pages: 11

Free Essay

The Nanarene Way of Essenic Studies

...The Nazarene Way of Essenic Studies 666: The Number of the Beast The Book of Revelation of St. John the Divine "No one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or name of the beast, or the number of his name, and his number is 666" ~The Book of Revelation 13:17-18 Some versions of Christian eschatology holds that this prophecy refers to future events, typically that the Mark of the Beast is one way in which the antichrist will exercise power over the earth, during the period known as the Tribulation in the book of Revelation. Opinions as to what form it will take are varied. The literal interpretation is that the number 666 will be imprinted on the skin, but with recent technological developments the possibilities of universal control are limitless. The notion that the mark is required for all commerce implies that the mark might actually be a special card, or that we might have to have our fingerprints scanned into a worldwide database in order to be recognized in business. Or, the mark might be some kind of smart chip implanted into the body. In Revelation 14:9-12, the third angel warns of wrath and retribution to all those who bear this mark on their heads or hands. The number 666, which supposedly represents the name of the Antichrist, is another source of controversy. There are various theories about the meaning of this verse, and there have been many attempts to show that a person is the Antichrist by relating his name to the number 666. One interpretation is...

Words: 4466 - Pages: 18

Free Essay

The Nanarene Way of Essenic Studies

...The Nazarene Way of Essenic Studies 666: The Number of the Beast The Book of Revelation of St. John the Divine "No one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or name of the beast, or the number of his name, and his number is 666" ~The Book of Revelation 13:17-18 Some versions of Christian eschatology holds that this prophecy refers to future events, typically that the Mark of the Beast is one way in which the antichrist will exercise power over the earth, during the period known as the Tribulation in the book of Revelation. Opinions as to what form it will take are varied. The literal interpretation is that the number 666 will be imprinted on the skin, but with recent technological developments the possibilities of universal control are limitless. The notion that the mark is required for all commerce implies that the mark might actually be a special card, or that we might have to have our fingerprints scanned into a worldwide database in order to be recognized in business. Or, the mark might be some kind of smart chip implanted into the body. In Revelation 14:9-12, the third angel warns of wrath and retribution to all those who bear this mark on their heads or hands. The number 666, which supposedly represents the name of the Antichrist, is another source of controversy. There are various theories about the meaning of this verse, and there have been many attempts to show that a person is the Antichrist by relating his name to the number 666. One interpretation is...

Words: 4476 - Pages: 18