Gospel of John, Overview, Message, & Relevance

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The Gospel of John

Overview, Message, & Relevance 

Introduction: Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name (Jn. 20:30-31).

The design of the lesson will be fourfold:

• John’s purpose in the use of Jesus’ signs
• The unique structure of John’s presentation
• John’s presentation of Jesus as the Word
• The relevance of John’s gospel for today

1. Seeing John’s Purpose in the Use of Signs
   1. John’s purpose is to prove that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. We might initially think that such was the purpose of the other three gospels, so why would John go about the same purpose? The answer is that though the other three gospels introduce Jesus to us and certainly compel us to understand Him as the Son of God, they are presentations of Jesus, while John is the interpretation of Jesus. The Synoptics have a similar theme of showing us the wonder of Jesus, the greatness of His humanity. But John shows us who Jesus is, portraying His true nature as divine. 
   2. John’s message revolves around on signs. What is peculiar about this is that John records less miracles that any of the other gospels (Matthew: 16; Mark: 22; Luke: 20). But John presents 8 signs: actually 7 signs and then the resurrection of Jesus as the eighth and climatic sign.
   3. What should we learn from this? John’s signs are for a different purpose than the miracles of the Synoptics. John has carefully chosen his signs in order to, in a very special way, portray the divinity of Jesus. Therefore, we always need to ask why John included this particular sign on this particular occasion in order to teach his message.
   4. This brings up John’s use of the word sign. John does not use “miracle,” John only uses “sign” when speaking of the supernatural work of Jesus. The reason for this is that the word sign denotes that there is a message or lesson that is to be learned in the miracle beyond just the wonder of it. Thus Jesus said in 6:26: “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.” The Jews knew a miracle had taken place, but they did not perceive and understand the sign. –– The sign is that he is the bread of life. 
   5. John also connects Jesus’ signs with the Jewish festivals. Four Passovers are mentioned, the Feast of Dedication, and the Feast of Tabernacles. John alerts us to the feast to show us that Jesus is the ultimate purpose of the festivals.
   6. Understanding the purpose of signs is helpful when we look at the key verses: 1:11-13. This is a specific explanation of John’s purpose statement (20:30-31). The key is Jesus giving power to become the children of God, in order to have life in his name.
   7. Therefore there is one unifying idea traceable through the signs, namely that of transformation. We not only see evidential “signs” of our Lord’s deity but striking illustrations of that transforming “power to become” which operates in “as many as receive Him.” Thus we see:
      1. Water turned to wine; “want” into abundance (2)
      2. A carnal temple into a foreshadowing of a greater temple (2)
      3. A timid Pharisaical ruler into a bold believer (3)
      4. A sinful Samaritan woman into an evangel of the gospel (4)
      5. Jesus transforming bread into abundance so that the spiritually hungry can always be filled
      6. Jesus calling on the thirsty to be transformed into a well of living water that gives eternal life to all 
      7. A man born blind into one who sees and shows the spiritual blindness of those who think they see.
      8. Jesus giving life to a dead man so that all may know that He will transform this lowly body into the body of His glory. Jesus is the God who transforms! 
2. Uniqueness of John’s Presentation
   1. The structural characteristic of this fourth Gospel is that of recurrent ideas. In chapter one there are eight titles given to the Lord. These titles are repeatedly alluded to and proven throughout the gospel. Each title tells us specifically what Jesus is to us and why we can find all we need in him. As Paul said in Colossians 1:9-10, “In him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him.”
      1. The Word (1)
      2. The Life (4)
      3. The Light (7)
      4. The Son (18)
      5. The Lamb (29)
      6. The Messiah (41)
      7. The King (49)
      8. The Son of Man (51)
   2. These recurrent ideas are found in the three movements of the book:
      1. 1:1-18 Prologue: The Word Became Flesh
      2. 1:19 – 12:50 Public Ministry of Jesus
      3. 12:1 – 17:26 Private Ministry of Jesus to “His Own”
      4. 18:1 – 20:31 Paschal Climax: Tragedy and Triumph
      5. 21:1-25 Epilogue: Follow Me 
   3. We should also make a brief note about the geography of John’s gospel. Matthew and Mark reveal Jesus’ work and teaching around Galilee. Luke spends five chapters in Galilee and nearly 10 chapters in Perea east of Jordan as Jesus journeyed toward Jerusalem the last time. But most of John’s record is on Jesus’ work in Jerusalem while only briefly mentioning His trips back to Galilee. 
   4. Finally, a few simple facts that help us with John’s theme.
      1. “Believe,” in all its forms, is used 98 times.
      2. “Life” and “live” are used 55 times.
      3. “I am” (ego eimi – both words mean “I am,” but the former emphasizes “I” and the latter “am”; thus expresses the nature of the personal being of Jesus in the strongest way) is used 23 times and is the Divine name “I AM” from Exodus 3.
      4. “I AM” is connected to seven metaphors: (1) bread of life, (2) light of the world, (3) door of the sheep, (4) the good Shepherd, (5) the resurrection and the life, (6) the way, the truth, and the life, (7) the true vine.

3. The Word (Logos)
   1. What thought is being conveyed when Jesus is called the Word? There are a couple of messages that should be considered:
      1. The idea of the “Word” is the concept of revealing something or someone that was formerly hidden or a mystery. We remember that Moses asked to see God’s glory (Ex. 33:18). God’s answer was, “You cannot see my face and live.” Therefore, throughout the OT we read about God, but he is unseen to our eyes. Jesus comes as the “Word,” one who is actually showing us God. Verse 14, “We beheld his glory…” Later, Jesus told Philip, “Have I been so long time with you and you have not seen the Father?” 
      2. John connects the phrase, “in the beginning” to logos.  The Synoptics started with Jesus’ earthly life but John tells us he is before the beginning. This causes us to immediately refer to the first phrase of the Hebrew Bible. The words are parallel: “In the beginning God [elohim], and “In the beginning was the Word.” The Hebrews never truly understood the fullness of elohim. They had no conception of a Godhead that included the Son. Now He is revealed – the Word, who is equal to God and eternal.
      3. Further, the connection to Genesis 1 indicates that with the “Word” comes power. When God speaks in Genesis one, his words have power. That power brings into existence that which formerly did not exist. Not only did the “Word” do that in the physical creation, he is again going to bring life out of nothing and order out of chaos. Thus, the Word (logos) is God’s agent in the physical creation as well as in our new spiritual creation. The power of God’s Word brings life from death and makes something out of nothing (2 Cor. 4:6). Saints are the crowning creation of God.
   2. NRSV translates verse 3: “All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being.” Therefore, Jesus is the Creator. Can you wrap your mind around that? Jesus is the Creator of Genesis 1. Paul said, “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him” (Col. 1:16). Now look at verse 14. You know the verse: “The Word became flesh & dwelt among us.” The Creator came to the earth & lived among us! Why? God is doing what he’s always done: he is pursuing us. 
   3. D.A. Carson makes the same point: “John intends that the whole of his gospel shall be read in light of this verse. The deeds and words of Jesus are the deeds and words of God” (Pillar New Testament Commentary, 117).
4. John’s Gospel for Today
   1. For years I studied John just to be amazed at Jesus, amazed at the connections he makes of himself to the OT story. Certainly that is foundational to the gospel, but John’s concern goes beyond awe, it brings us to an application of belief. John brings belief to a new level. The use of 3:16 as a simple acknowledgement of Jesus is a tragedy and insult to John’s message.
   2. Look again at John’s purpose in 20:31, “…so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ/Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”
      1. First, the gospel is not simply a proof text of evidences for Jesus being the Son of God. John wants us to see Jesus as the Messiah. “Messiah” does not mean to us what it meant to the Jews and the the OT explanation. The Messiah fixes all that is wrong in a fallen world.
      2. Remember the woman at the well? “I would have given you living water.” Remember the feeding of the 5000? “…work for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you.” Remember when the wedding feast in the little town of Cana was running out of wine, threatening to destroy the joyous occasion? Jesus made 80 gallons of the best. Remember the wicked leaders who oppressed the people? Jesus is the good Shepherd. That’s the Messiah. He makes right all that is wrong. Cf. Isaiah 11
      3. Therefore, believing in the Messiah is to give up our trust and confidence in this world’s answers. We no longer need to live in disappointment found in a failed world because we have a Messiah who gives us true food and true drink.
   3. Therefore, John makes us see what it really means to believe. Consider again the phrase, “that you may believe.” The marginal reading of the NIV: “that you may continue to believe.” The NLT: “that you may continue to believe.” NET also references this position. These translations highlight a minor debate among Greek scholars – is this initial belief or ongoing, perfected belief? Either could be possible from the original language. Some suggest, “that you may hold on to your faith.” My position would be an ongoing, perfected faith because of John’s continual emphasis on the contrast between true believers and those who believe but are fearful of complete commitment to Jesus.
   4. For example, three times John highlights the fear people had of being “put out of the synagogue.”
      1. John 9:18-23 It is quite amazing that the parents of the blind man would not own up to how he got his sight. But that just illustrates how devastating it was to be cast out of the synagogue. The synagogue was the center of all life. John mentions this same persecution in the Revelation letter concerning the earth beast: “Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, the is, the name of the beast or the number of its name” (Rev. 13:16-17).
      2. John 12:42-43 “Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.” 
      3. John 16:1-2 “I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think is offering service to God.” Cf. 15:18-21.
   5. If you think this is not relevant for us today consider a Christian college who will not accept practicing gay, lesbian, or transgender students. The government could deny loans to students who went to those colleges and remove their accreditation. If you get a degree from that college it would not be accepted as legitimate. Top military leaders fired for not accepting CRT. People fired from certain corporations for not confessing acceptance to such immorality. California churches fined thousands. Calgary, Canada pastors arrested.  
   6. Therefore, John repeatedly contrasts true believers to fearful believers or partial believers.
      1. We already noticed the stark difference between the blind man and his parents.
      2. Nicodemus is a believer who comes by night and believes on the basis of signs but does not understand the full transformation needed and that only God can provide.
      3. In contrast, the woman at the well and the Samaritans do not even see a sign but become believers just on the woman’s testimony.

Conclusion: The question is, do we love the glory that comes from man or the glory that comes from God? When the trial comes and the pressure is on, will we be true believers? Will we confess him and suffer for him, or will we fear being “cast out of the synagogue?”

Berry Kercheville