Author
John the Apostle, “the disciple whom Jesus loved,” is acknowledged to be the penman of the Gospel. It was the last Gospel to be written. It has been customary to ascribe the audience to whom he wrote as “the world.” Recent scholarship has suggested a narrower target-audience as being the Jewish people.
Attributes Detailed
- The Omnipotent Christ
- The Omniscient Christ: Each chapter highlights His knowledge against the background of man’s ignorance – whom ye know not, if thou knew, the man knew not that it was Jesus, etc.
- The Obligated Christ: Look at the must’s – seven times regarding Christ
- The Obedient Christ: The Son who only does His Father’s works, speaks His words
- The Originating Christ: In John He takes the initiative – He sees a man born blind; He sees an impotent man; He finds the colt; He seeks out the woman at the well.
- The Outshining Christ: He reveals the Father so perfectly
- The Gospel of Oneness: His Oneness with the Father and the oneness He creates between divine persons and the believer
- The Outstanding Christ: His glory revealed in this Gospel
- The Observant Christ: Note the expression “he saw”
The Gospel of …
Individuals – Christ deals with individuals (chs.3,4,5,8,9,11,12)
Indispensable Christ – Needed for creation, revelation, communication, salvation
Illuminating Christ – The Light of the World
Instructive Christ – He is the Teacher
Incomparable Christ – Peerless
Inexhaustible Christ – Ch.6 – bread left over – the true manna is inexhaustible
Intimate Christ – Cf. bosom in ch.1 and ch.13
Interceding Christ – Ch.17
Interested Christ – “He saw”
Outline
1:1-18 – Prologue
1:19-12:50 – Removing and Replacing the Tabernacle (ch.1), Temple (ch.2), Teacher (ch.3), Traditions (ch.5) and others
13:1-17:26 – Revealing and Relating
18:1-19:42 – Resigning and Redeeming
20:1-21:25 – Rejoicing and Restoring
Another Outline
Prologue (ch.1)
Book of Signs (chs.2-12)
- Note the seven signs to the nation.
Book of Secrets (chs.13-17)
- Almost half of the Gospel is occupied with the last week of the Lord’s life.
- Look for seven new doctrines the Lord introduces in His discourse.
Book of Suffering (chs.18-19)
- Note the uniqueness of John’s account.
- Consider the Garden scene and the contrasts with David across Kidron and
Adam in the Garden.
- John is the only writer who shows us the cross between two gardens.
- Consider the practical implications of the three statements from the cross relative to the welfare of a saint, the Word of God and the work of God.
Book of His Shepherd Care (chs.20-21)
- Compare with the description of the Shepherd of Psalm 23.
- Compare John’s prologue in chapter 1 with chapter 21.
Other Notes
- In John, the Lord Jesus does not cast out demons. Yet John has a theology concerning Satan (6:70; 8:44; 13:2; 14:30; 12:31; 16:11).
- Misunderstandings (2:19-22; 3:3-5,10; 6:32-35,41-42; 7:33-36; 8:18-20,27-28; 10:1-6; 11:21-44,49-53; 12:12-17; 13:6-10,27-30; 16:1-4,12-15; 18:10-11; 19:14; 20:3-9; 21:23)
- Translating of Semitic words (1:38,41; 4:25; 19:13,17)
- Son (of God) (1:14,34,49; 3:16-18; 5:16-30,37-38,43-46; 8:36; 10:31-39; 11:27; 14:10; 15:22-24; 17:1; 19:7; 20:17,30-31)
- Son of Man (13 times in John) (1:51; 3:13-14; 5:27; 6:27,53-54,62; 8:28-29; 9:35; 12:23-34; 13:31-32)
- Found (1:41-42,45; 2:14; 5:14; 6:25; 7:34-36; 9:35; 11:17; 12:14; 21:6)
- Look for the Glory of His Person, the Greatness of His Power, the Grace of His Presence
