“Jesus answered, ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him’ ” (John 9:3). It was customary for sicknesses and diseases to be directly associated with an act of sin. A blind man who was born that way was in question as to whether it was his sin or his parent’s…

“The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is justified by her children” (Matthew 11:19). Sinners flocked around Jesus and loved to be his companions, while the religious found Him to be repulsive and were made to feel uncomfortable. Prostitutes and publicans…

“Then He said to the disciple, ‘Behold your mother!’ ” (John 19:27). Jesus made an oral testament to John, the beloved disciple, to provide as He would for her after His death. It was a binding agreement in the company of others, if accepted, to care for her needs as the second oldest son. Even though there were other children,…