Get Ready
John is one of the few books in the Bible that tells the reader why it was written: “So that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name,” [20:31].
Author
The author of this book does not tell us his name. However, there has been little argument since it began circulating at the end of the first century that John, the Apostle, wrote this Gospel.
Some nineteenth century scholars raised questions because the book was so different from John’s letters or Revelation and so different from the other Gospels. But consider:
- This book was clearly written by someone who was present with Jesus and the disciples.
- It is different from the synoptic Gospels because the author had a different purpose, which he tells us.
- It is naturally different from the other writings because it is a different format with a different purpose (C. S. Lewis, the British scholar, wrote science fiction, poetry, literary criticism and Screwtape Letters, and no one claims he did not write all of them).
This brings us to the date John wrote his Gospel, which is between 90 and 95 CE. John was the longest-lived Apostle (he calls himself “the Elder” in his second and third letters) and he wrote the Gospel and Revelation near the end of his very full life, while living in Asia Minor (the area is now modern Turkey).
Context
John wrote after the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Jewish Temple in 70 CE. This event caused significant changes for both Jews and Christians. In addition, John spent the later part of his life among believers in an area ruled by Rome but heavily influenced by Greek culture.
When Roman soldiers destroyed the Temple, they eliminated the physical “home” of Judaism. They also altered the relationships among the primary Jewish leadership groups. The Pharisees became the leaders of Jewish religious thought and practice in Israel and in the eastern part of the Roman Empire, and they viewed Jewish Christians as their primary competitors. At the same time Jews of all kinds wanted to avoid any connection with the groups that started the uprising against Rome after 66 CE. – groups that focused on prophecy or Jewish “kingdoms” or “messiahs.” These two cultural and religious forces led to increased discrimination by Jews against Jewish Christians throughout the eastern Mediterranean region.
Structure
There are three primary parts of this Gospel:
- Prologue – John opens with a poetic presentation of Jesus as the “son” of God, existing with him and fully equal with him, who became human to show us who God really is.
- Jesus’s public ministry – the major section presents several incidents from Jesus’s public ministry, beginning with his baptism in the Jordan River and concluding with restoring Lazarus to life.
- Jesus’s passion – the final section follows Jesus through his final teaching and farewell to the disciples, and his capture, trials, crucifixion and burial, to his resurrection and appearances to the women and disciples.
Major Themes
The overarching message is that Jesus is the Son of God and came to restore humans’ relationship with God. John delivers this truth in three different ways:
- Revelation – the prologue proclaims Jesus’s identity and his purpose in coming. It may be poetic, but it is fact.
- Signs – John recounts seven incidents that display Jesus’s power and relationship to God: cleansing the Temple [2:13-25], Nicodemus [3:1-21], healing the royal official’s son [4:46-54], feeding the five thousand [6:1-14], the interchange with the Jews [7:10-36], the man born blind [9:1-41], and the raising of Lazarus [11:1-44].
- Jesus himself – John identifies Jesus as the promised descendant of David [7:42], the “Son of Man” [3:13-14], the “Son of God” [3:16]. John also recounts seven times Jesus used “I AM” (the same name God told Moses to use with the Israelites) to identify himself with God the Father [check 6:35, 8:12, 10:7 and 11, 11:25, 14:6, and 15:1].
Get into the Word
1. Who wrote this book? Why did some raise questions about the author? When was this book written?
2. What was the situation when John wrote his Gospel? Where did he write? What had happened in Jerusalem? What effect did this have on the Jews? On the Christians? On the relationship between the two groups? How did it affect John’s writing?
3. How is this book organized? What are the major sections of the Gospel? Why do you think John used this structure for his book?
4. What is the primary message John wants to convey in this Gospel? How does the organization of the book support his message? How does John convey his ideas? What images does he use? What incidents does he include to make his points?
5. What names or titles does he give Jesus? Which name has the most impact on your image of Jesus? Why do you feel this way? What name does Jesus use for himself that links him with God the Father? How do you suppose the Jews responded to this? How did the disciples react?
A Note on the “Word”
John uses the Greek word, “logos,” in the opening of his Gospel – almost always translated “word” in English.
But logos incorporates much more than a single noun or verb in its meaning. Scholars have used thought, expression, meaning, reason, principle, speech, or idea as English translations of logos. Father Richard Rohr, a contemporary writer, suggests blueprint. Just as a blueprint represents in two dimensions the completed, three-dimensional structure, Jesus shows us in our three dimensions the complete, spiritual nature of God’s creation.
As the “Word” Jesus reveals the full understanding of God the Father.
The Old Testament actually used this idea many years before John: By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, [Psalm 33:6].
Notes . . .
More on the difference between John’s Gospel and the other three — often called the “synoptic” Gospels because they are a synopsis of Jesus’s life and ministry – more like a traditional biography. Mark is considered to be the first Gospel written down. It reads most like a newspaper account of Jesus. Matthew was written by a Jew who wanted to demonstrate to other Jews that Jesus does, in fact, fulfill the Old Testament prophesies. Luke was written by a Roman who traveled with the Apostle Paul. His Gospel puts Jesus and the early church (in Acts) in the context of the whole of history. John concentrates on Jesus as the key to our relationship with God.
59: The Word and “I am” – John 1:1- 18, 10:11-18, 14:1-7
Get Ready
When you start a new project what do you do first — read through the directions and then gather all the materials, find a model that’s already completed, visualize your finished result, find someone to help, or do you just start in and hope it comes together?
The Word
1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being 4 in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. 9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
10 He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. 12 But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. 15 (John testified to him and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’”) 16 From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.
10 11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
12 The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.”
14 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And you know the way to the place where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” NRSV
Get into the Word
1. What images does John use for Jesus in this passage? What mental pictures do you get from these images? Why do you think John chose these particular images for his opening?
2. What are the major concepts or understandings about Jesus that John is trying to convey here? What distinctions does John make between Jesus and all other humans? Other creatures?
3. What does Jesus do? How do people react to this? What happens as a result? Who does this change?
4. Who does John introduce in this narrative? What is his message? Who does he speak about? How does he describe Jesus?
5. What image does Jesus use for himself and his followers? How is he different than a “hired hand?” What does he do for his sheep?
6. What is Jesus’s relationship to the Father? What are the “other sheep?” How does he describe his death?
Get Personal
How does God help you understand that Jesus was fully God and fully human? Why is this important? How does this affect your walk with Jesus?
Notes . . .
1:1. Beginning — Even though this phrase parallels Genesis 1:1, John makes it clear he is talking about things before the creation narrative.
1:1. Word — Greek: “logos” – see Note above.
1:3. Came into being — John draws a clear distinction between the Word and all other creatures. In fact the Word created all things. John forcefully declares that Jesus was God and shared all attributes, including the power to create “all things” with God the Father.
1:4-5. Light — Matthew refers to Isaiah to describe Jesus as light: The people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. [4:14].
1:10. World — the Greek word, “cosmos,” means primarily “order, arrangement.” The Bible uses it to refer to both the earth and humans, the “non-heaven” part of creation and to the human condition in which we are separated from God.
1:14, 18. Only Son — John yokes together two Greek words that mean “single” and “kind” in this title for Jesus. He is the only Biblical writer to use this phrase.
10:12. Hired hand — Jesus draws a clear distinction between the attitude and responsibility of an owner and a person who is paid to guard some one else’s property.
10:14. Know — the relationship between Jesus and believers is like the relationship between Jesus and God, the Father, [check Jeremiah 31:34 and Hosea 6:6].
10:16. Other sheep — a clear reference to the Gentiles who would accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior, and who would join with Jewish believers as one “flock” or one body (church) with Christ as the “shepherd” and head.
14:1. Believe in . . . — Jesus again claims equality with the Father.
14:2. A place for you —Jesus promises to make his “home” with believers: a believer lives with and in Jesus and Jesus lives with and in the believer. Paul calls believers members of the household of God. . . . In Christ the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God, [Eph 2:20-22].
14:6. The way, the truth, the life — Jesus sums up Christian theology in this threefold description: he is the means (way) by which we have access to God the Father; in himself he reveals all the truth about God the Father; and he has and is the life we have in reunion with God the Father. Paul called Jesus the visible image of the invisible God, [Col 1:15]. Early Christians were called (often negatively) followers of “the Way.”
Memory Verse
I am the way, and the truth, and the life, [John 14:6].
Next Lesson
John 14-15: The Holy Spirit and the True Vine.
