Instructions for Investigators: This is not a test of memory; it is a test of observation. The answers to the mysteries below are hiding in plain sight within the Gospel of John. You will need your Bible, a sharp mind, and a keen eye for detail. Any major translation (NIV, ESV, NASB, NLT) will work!
Solve each Case File to extract a Key Number. You will use all your Key Numbers at the end to do a little bit of math and unlock the Ultimate Vault.
Location: A Wedding in Cana The Mystery: When Jesus turned water into wine, the master of the banquet was amazed. He praised the bridegroom, and the bridegroom likely took the credit! According to John 2:9, the only people who actually knew the secret were the servants who drew the water. But where did they draw it from? Read John 2:6. Exactly how many stone water jars were sitting there?
- Answer: ____________________
- Wit Check: The number of stone jars is Key Number 1.
- Key Number 1: [ ___ ]
Location: Jacob’s Well in Samaria The Mystery: Jesus meets a Samaritan woman at a well. What stuns her is not just His request for water, but that He knows her deepest secrets without ever having met her. Read John 4:16–18. Jesus tells her the exact truth about her past relationships. Exactly how many husbands does Jesus say she has had?
- Answer: ____________________
- Wit Check: The number of husbands she has had is Key Number 2.
- Key Number 2: [ ___ ]
Location: The Streets of Jerusalem The Mystery: Jesus heals a man born blind. In John 9, the religious leaders are furious and they call the man’s parents in for interrogation. Read John 9:18–21 very carefully. The Pharisees ask the parents THREE distinct questions in verse 19: (1) Is this your son? (2) Was he born blind? (3) How does he now see? Read the parents' response in verses 20-21. Out of fear of being thrown out of the synagogue, exactly how many of those three questions did the parents actually answer?
- Answer: ____________________
- Wit Check: They threw their own son under the bus to avoid answering the last one! The exact number of questions they did answer is Key Number 3.
- Key Number 3: [ ___ ]
Location: The Upper Room The Mystery: During the Last Supper, Jesus begins washing the disciples' feet. Peter, shocked, initially refuses to let the Master serve him this way. But Jesus warns him: "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me." Peter immediately panics and swings completely in the opposite direction! Read John 13:8–9. Including his feet, exactly how many body parts does Peter enthusiastically ask Jesus to wash?
- Answer: ____________________
- Wit Check: The number of body parts Peter names is Key Number 4.
- Key Number 4: [ ___ ]
Location: A Garden Outside Jerusalem The Mystery: Jesus has risen! In the chaos of Sunday morning, Peter and John run to the tomb, see the linen wrappings, and eventually go back home. But Mary Magdalene stays behind, weeping outside the tomb. Read John 20:11–12. When Mary finally looks into the tomb, exactly how many angels in white does she see sitting where Jesus' body had been?
- Answer: ____________________
- Wit Check: The number of angels she sees is Key Number 5.
- Key Number 5: [ ___ ]
Location: The Sea of Galilee The Mystery: After the resurrection, the disciples go fishing but catch absolutely nothing all night. At dawn, a man on the shore (Jesus) tells them to throw their net on the right side of the boat. The catch is so massive they can hardly haul it in! Read John 21:11. John specifically records the exact number of large fish they caught.
- Answer: ____________________
- Wit Check: To find your key, you must add the digits of this number together. (For example, if the number was 241, you would add 2 + 4 + 1 = 7). Add the three digits of the fish count together. This sum is Key Number 6.
- Key Number 6: [ ___ ]
You have gathered all six Key Numbers. It is time to unlock the final message. The Gospel of John wasn't just written as a history book; it was written with a very specific goal in mind. Use your wits and your math skills to find the exact Chapter and Verse that reveal this goal!
Your Key Numbers:
[Key 1: ___ ] | [Key 2: ___ ] | [Key 3: ___ ]
[Key 4: ___ ] | [Key 5: ___ ] | [Key 6: ___ ]
Find the Chapter: Multiply Key 6 by Key 3. Then add Key 5. ( ___ x ___ ) + ___ = CHAPTER ______
Find the Verse: Multiply Key 1 by Key 2. Then add Key 4. Finally, subtract Key 3. ( ___ x ___ ) + ___ - ___ = VERSE ______
The Final Directive: Look up the Chapter and Verse you just calculated in your Bible (in the Book of John). Read it aloud with your church group. In your own words, what is the ultimate "treasure" that this entire investigation was designed to lead you toward?
- Case 1: 6. Key 1 = 6
- Case 2: 5. Key 2 = 5
- Case 3: 2. Key 3 = 2
- Case 4: 3. Key 4 = 3
- Case 5: 2. Key 5 = 2
- Case 6: 153 fish. (1 + 5 + 3 = 9). Key 6 = 9
- Chapter Math: (9 x 2) + 2 = Chapter 20
- Verse Math: (6 x 5) + 3 - 2 = Verse 31
- Final Answer: (John 20:31)