John's Gospel is unique among the four Gospels. It records much about Jesus' ministry in Judea and Jerusalem that the other three gospels leave out, and it gives a deeper insight into the "mystery" of Jesus' personhood as both God and man. The author is identified as "the disciple whom Jesus loved." It is clear from the Gospel that he described events from an eyewitness perspective, that he knew Jewish life well and that he was a leader of great influence in the early church. The writings of historians such as Trenaeus and Tertullian, the testimony of ancient Christianity and the internal evidence of the Gospel itself point to John, the son of Zebedee, as the author.
According to several ancient sources, the elderly John was living in Ephesus when church leaders in Asia asked him to write this spiritual Gospel in order to refute, or argue against a dangerous heresy that had started among the believers about the nature and person of Jesus Christ. People who followed this faulty teaching, led by a persuasive Jew named Cerinthus, were denying Jesus' deity. John's Gospel continues to serve the church as a very important and authoritative statement about the truth as it was lived out and made known to them in the life of Jesus Christ.
John states3in 20:31 that his purpose for writing is "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name". Ancient Greek manuscripts of John's Gospel have one of two tenses for the word translated "believe": the aorist subjunctive (that you may being believing") and the present subjunctive ("that you may continue to believe"). If John had in mind the first tense, he wrote to convince unbelievers to accept the Lord Jesus Christ and be spiritually saved. If he had in mind the second tense, John wrote to encourage those already following Christ so they might strengthen their faith, resist false teaching and deepen their relationship with God and His Son, Jesus. While the book of John supports both of these purposes, his message as a whole favors the strengthening of Christians as the overriding purpose.
John presents carefully selected evidence that Jesus was Israel's Messiah and God's Son from the beginning - the Creator in the flesh. The supporting evidence includes seven main signs and seven main discourses by which Jesus revealed clearly His true identity; seven "I AM" statements by which Jesus symbolically revealed His relationship with people and His purpose for restoring their relationship with God; and the bodily resurrection of Jesus from the dead as the ultimate sign and the decisive proof that He is "the Christ, the Son of God" (20.31).
John has two major divisions. Chapters 1-12 describe the incarnation, introduction and public ministry of Jesus Christ. In spite of Jesus' seven convincing signs, seven profound teachings and seven astounding "I AM" claims; the Jews generally rejected Him as their Messiah. having been widely rejected by the old-covenant Israel, Jesus then focused on His disciples as the nucleus of His new covenant people. These chapters (13-21) include Jesus' last supper, His latest dialogues and teachings and His final prayer for His disciples and for all of His future followers. The book ends by showing how God's new covenant was started, established and confirmed by Christ's death.
Eight major topics characterize John's Gospel. It focuses on the deity of Jesus as the Son of Son. From the introduction, to the conclusion with Thomas' confession, "my Lord and my God," Jesus is clearly presented as God the Son - "the Word" - come in the flesh. The word "believe" occurs 98 times. It means receiving or accepting by faith, Christ as God's Son. But true Biblical faith is not simply a matter of mental belief; it is a heartfelt response of active trust by which a person surrenders control of his or her life to Christ and continues to follow God's purposes. This is an ongoing commitment of one's whole life. "Eternal life" is a key topic in John. It refers not simply to endless existence - but also to a present-day transformed life and ongoing relationship with God that comes through an active faith in Christ. Personal encounters with Jesus are presented throughout the Gospel (no less than 27 times). The work of the Holy Spirit enables Jesus' followers to experience Jesus' life and power in an ongoing way after Christ's death and resurrection. The number seven is the key number found in this Gospel: 7 primary signs, seven primary discourses, and seven "I AM" claims, which all testify to who Jesus is. (The number seven is key also in John's book of Revelation). Other key words and concepts in John are: "light," "word," "flesh," "love," "witness," "know," "darkness," and "world."
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