John INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
The Gospel according to John presents Jesus as the eternal Word of God, who “became a human being and lived among us.” (1.14) As the book itself says, this Gospel was written so that its readers might believe that Jesus is the promised Saviour, the Son of God, and that through their faith in him they might have life (20.31).
After an introduction that identifies the eternal Word of God with Jesus, the first part of the Gospel presents various miracles which show that Jesus is the promised Saviour, the Son of God. These are followed by discourses that explain what is revealed by the miracles. This part of the book tells how some people believed in Jesus and became his followers, while others opposed him and refused to believe. Chapters 13—17 record at length the close fellowship of Jesus with his disciples on the night of his arrest, and his words of preparation and encouragement to them on the eve of his crucifixion. The closing chapters tell of Jesus' arrest and trial, his crucifixion and resurrection, and his appearances to his disciples after the resurrection.
The story of the woman caught in adultery (8.1–11) is placed in brackets because many manuscripts and early translations omit it, while others include it in other places.
John emphasizes the gift of eternal life through Christ, a gift which begins now and which comes to those who respond to Jesus as the way, the truth, and the life. A striking feature of John is the symbolic use of common things from everyday life to point to spiritual realities, such as water, bread, light, the shepherd and his sheep, and the grapevine and its fruit.
Outline of Contents
Prologue 1.1–18
John the Baptist and the first disciples of Jesus 1.19–51
Jesus' public ministry 2.1—12.50
The last days in and near Jerusalem 13.1—19.42
The resurrection and appearances of the Lord 20.1–31
Epilogue: another appearance in Galilee 21.1–25
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John INTRODUCTION: GNBDC
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Good News Bible. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.
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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© British and Foreign Bible Society 2012