John About this book
About this book
Who is Jesus Christ? John answers this question in the first chapter of his Gospel. Using the words of an early Christian hymn, he calls Jesus the “Word” by which God created everything and by which he gave life to everyone (1.3,4). He shows how John the Baptist announced Jesus' coming, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (1.29). When Philip met Jesus he knew Jesus was “the one that Moses and the Prophets wrote about” (1.45). And, in the words of Nathanael, Jesus is “the Son of God and the King of Israel” (1.49).
In John's Gospel we learn a lot about who Jesus is by observing what he said and did when he was with other people. These include a Samaritan woman who received Jesus' offer of life-giving water, a woman who had been caught in sin, his friend Lazarus who was brought back to life by Jesus, and his follower Thomas who doubted that Jesus was raised from death. Jesus also refers to himself as “I am”, a phrase which translates the most holy name for God in the Hebrew Scriptures. He uses this name for himself when he makes his claim to be the life-giving bread, the light of the world, the good shepherd, and the true vine.
Jesus performs seven miracles that are more than miracles. Each of them is a “sign” that tells us something about Jesus as the Son of God. For example, by healing a lame man (5.1-8), Jesus shows that he is just like his Father, who never stops working (5.17). This sign also teaches that the Son does only what he sees his Father doing (5.19), and that like the Father “the Son gives life to anyone he wants to” (5.21).
The way John tells the story of Jesus is quite different from the other three Gospels. Here, Jesus has long conversations with people about who he is and what God sent him to do. In these conversations he teaches many important things—for example, that he is the way, the truth and the life.
Why did John write? John himself tells us, “So that you will put your faith in Jesus as the Messiah and the Son of God” (20.31). How is this possible? Jesus answers that question in his words to Nicodemus:
God loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life and never really die.
(3.16)
A quick look at this book
1. In praise of the Word (1.1-18)
2. The message of John the Baptist (1.19-34)
3. Jesus chooses his first disciples (1.35-51)
4. Jesus' seven special miracles (2.1—12.50)
5. Jesus' last week: his trial and death (13.1—19.42)
6. Jesus is alive (20.1-10)
7. Jesus appears to his disciples (20.11—21.25)
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John About this book: CEVUK
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© British and Foreign Bible Society 2012
John Introduction
Introduction
The Gospel according to St. John, the fourth Gospel, opens with a prologue (1.1-18) which introduces the “eternal word of God,” present with God at the beginning of creation. This “word” (logos in Greek), John says, is Jesus the Christ who “was made flesh, and dwelt among us … full of grace and truth” (1.14). This profoundly theological prologue signals readers that this fourth Gospel will take a unique approach in relating the purpose and ministry of Jesus. All throughout the book, the author seeks to show the eternal significance of Jesus, and to contrast the “light” Jesus brings from the heavenly realm with the “darkness” of the world he has come to save from the power of sin and death.
In the book's mid-section there is a series of seven “I am” sayings that reveal important dimensions of Jesus' significance, for example, “I am the light of the world” in 8.12 (for the others, see 6.35; 10.7,11; 11.25; 14.6; 15.1). John also reports seven “miracles” or signs worked by Jesus, for example, changing water into wine in 2.11. Each of these signs points to Jesus' glory. But for the author of John the greatest sign and glory is Jesus lifted up on the cross for the salvation of all the world's people (12.32,33).
A late second century tradition claimed Ephesus as this Gospel's place of origin, but this is difficult to confirm. Textual evidence, however, suggests it was written in the final decade of the first century. Although the unnamed author was anciently thought to be Jesus' disciple John, the son of Zebedee, this was questioned by Origen and others as early as the third century. More likely, it was written by disciples of John living in a community he founded.
Outline
Jesus the Eternal Word of God (1.1-51)
Jesus' Seven Miracles (Signs) (2.1—11.44)
Jesus' Final Days (11.45—19.42)
The Risen Jesus Appears to His Followers (20.1—21.25)
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King James Version 1611, spelling, punctuation and text formatting modernized by ABS in 1962; typesetting © 2010 American Bible Society.