Episode 74: John - The Friendship of God

About this episode

The episode explores the themes of friendship with God through the lens of John 11-12, discussing grief, resurrection, and devotion.

Filmed at the Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio, Dr. David Pocta and Hannah DeSouza discuss John 11–12 in Thread’s Gospel of John series, joined by six Chord Scholars who introduce their research and a word for friendship with God. The episode traces three movements: Jesus’ friendship amid grief in Lazarus’s death, including Mary and Martha’s honest lament and Jesus weeping; Lazarus’s resurrection and its echoes in Israel’s hopes of restoration and resurrection; and Mary’s costly anointing of Jesus as risky, embodied devotion that foreshadows his burial, exposes Judas’s false concern for the poor, and reframes value. The conversation culminates in John 12’s teaching on self-giving love, contrasting Greek and Christian views of divine love, and closes with personal reflections on embodied worship, consent in sacrificial love, and “coming home” to God. [00:44] Podcast Introduction & Setting [02:01] Theme Introduction: The Friendship of God in John 11 & 12 [03:07] Chord Scholars' Introductions and Core Words for Friendship with God [07:42] The Story of Lazarus's Illness and Jesus' Delay (John 11) [11:06] Jesus Weeps: Leaning into Grief [16:50] Old Testament Echoes of…

People in this episode

Hosts: Dr. David Pocta, Hannah DeSouza

Guest: Chord Scholars

Topics covered

• friendship with God
• grief and loss
• resurrection
• devotion
• economic value
• divine love

Keywords

• friendship
• God
• Lazarus
• resurrection
• devotion
• economic value
• divine love
• grief
• sacrifice

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Oblate School of Theology

Books & works: Gospel of John

More episodes of Thread

• Episode 77: John - Lamb, Garden, and New Creation · May 25, 2026 · 46 min
• Episode 76: John - Abiding, Fruit, and Becoming One · May 18, 2026 · 49 min
• Episode 75: John - Basin, Towel, and Spirit · May 11, 2026
• Episode 73: John - Life, Light, and Voice · April 27, 2026
• Episode 72: John - Healing, Hunger, and Discipleship · April 20, 2026
• Episode 71: John - Wine, Wind, and Water · April 13, 2026 · 48 min