John

The fourth of the Gospel accounts. It is one of the last, if not the last,  books of scripture to have  been written.

Author & Date

The writer is identified as the disciple who leaned on Jesus and the one whom Jesus loved, but not specifically named. External sources point clearly to the apostle John. People like Irenaeus (c.180 AD), a disciple of Polycarp, writes that John wrote this fourth gospel, at the end of the first century.

Outline

Jesus the Son of God

A. Prologue Ch.1:1-18

1. Christ’s pre-existence and deity Ch.1:1-3
2. Christ the Life & Light Ch.1:4-9
3. Christ’s incarnation Ch.1:10-18

B. The Son of God revealed by signs Ch.1:19-12:50

1. The Son of God revealed by John Baptist Ch.1:19-51
2. Sign 1 Water into Wine Ch.2
3. Teaching on new birth Ch.3
4. The woman at the well & the water of life Ch.4:1-45
5. Sign 2 The nobleman’s son healed Ch.4:46-54
6. Sign 3  The cripple at Bethesda healed Ch.5:1-15
7. Teaching on those things that testify of Jesus Ch.5:16-47
8. Sign 4 The feeding of the 5,000 Ch.6:1-15
9. Sign 5  Jesus walks on the water Ch.6:16-21
10. Teaching on the bread of life Ch.6:22-71
11. Teaching on the coming of the Holy Spirit Ch.7
12. The woman caught in adultery Ch.8:1-11
13. Teaching on the light of the world. Ch.8:12-59
14. Sign 6 A man born blind healed Ch.9
15. Teaching on the good Shepherd. Ch.10
16. Sign 7 Lazarus raised from the dead Ch.11
17. The entry into Jerusalem Ch.12

C. The Son of God reveals Himself to His own Ch.13-17

1. The last supper Ch.13
2. Teaching of the Father Ch.14
3. Teaching on the true Vine Ch.15
4. Teaching on teh coming of the Holy Spirit Ch.16
5. The High Priestly prayer of Jesus Ch.17

D. The Son of God slain Ch.18-19

1. Jesus arrested and tried before Pilate Ch.18
2. Jesus Crucified Ch.19

E. The Son of God alive forevermore Ch.21-21

1. The resurrection and appearances tot he disciples Ch.20
2. Sign 8 The draught of fishes Ch.20;1-13
3. Peter restored and commissioned Ch.21:14-25

Notes

a. Purpose

And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name Jn.20:30-31.

John tells us his reason for writing: that we may believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and that we may have eternal life by so doing. The signs (=indication) which John mentions are chosen for that specific purpose.

a) The I am s of Jesus
When Jesus uses ‘I am’ it literally means: I, I am, ie it is emphatic, and when Jesus uses this He is identifying Himself with the God of the burning bush.

And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.

Ex.3:14

1. That Jesus is the Messiah Jn.4:25-26
2. Jesus has come in Father’s Name Jn.5:42
3. Jesus the bread of life Jn.6:35,41,48,51
4. Jesus the light of the world Jn.8:12
5. Jesus from above Jn.8:13
6. Jesus is the I, I am He Jn.8:28
7. Before Abraham was Jesus is the I, I am Jn.8:58
8. Jesus the door of the sheep Jn.10:7,9
9. Jesus come to give life Jn.10:10
10. Jesus the good shepherd Jn.10:11
11. Jesus the resurrection and the life Jn.11:25
12. Jesu the way, truth & the life Jn.14;6
13. Jesus’ confession an being arrested Jn.18>5
14. Jesus is in the Father Jn14:10-11

b) The I will’s of Jesus

Here is a selection

1. Talking of His own resurrection Jn.2:19
2. He will not cast out any who come to Him Jn.6:37
3. He will raise up those who believe in Him Jn.6:40-44
4. He will give His life for the life of the world Jn.6:51
5. He will come again to receive us Jn.14:3
6. Anything in His Name we ask He will do Jn.14:14
7. He will ask for teh comforter Jn.14:16
8. He will not leave us comfortless Jn.14:18
9. He will send the comforter Jn.15:26

c. Some unique references in John

1.  Jn.11 Lazarus. He is not mentioned in the synoptics, this we presume is because Lazarus was alive when the synoptics were written, so thus protecting him, so this implies a late date for John’s gospel.
2. Intimate knowledge of both the trial ( Jn. 18:15) and of the crucifixion (Jn.19:25-27) of Jesus.
3. The counting of the fish in Jn.21:11. This implies the writer was a fisherman since this was the common practice of the day..