An Introduction to the Book of John, by Lane
John is known in his writings for his emphasis on love. Clement of Alexandria (180-200 A.D.) notes how John dwells extensively on Love throughout his works.
We have already mentioned many things about John but for the sake of review we will go over some things again.
A. John, the apostle, the son of Zebedee, brother of James. Lets look at the evidence.
1. Internal Evidence__ The author was a Jew. This is evident by his familiarity with Jewish customs, i.e. weddings, funerals, etc., and with the feasts of the Jews (2:1-10; 11:38, 44; 19:40; 6:4; 13:1; 7:2; 10:22). He was a Jew from Palestine, since he knew the topography of Palestine as only one who lived there (1:28, 3:23; 411; 11:18).
2. The writer of the 4th Gospel was an eyewitness. He was an observant person. He gives details that others do not give. He was one of the twelve and was in the upper room during the last Passover. He no doubt was part of the inner circle of three (Peter, James, and John). The disciple whom Jesus loved and who leaned on his breast at supper, was the writer of this fourth Gospel (21:20; 21:4).
B. The External Evidence!
1. There are passages from very early church father's writings that indicate knowledge of John's gospel. Clement of Rome (96 A.D.), the Shepherd of Hermas (100 A.D.), the Didache (110 A.D.), the Epistle of Barnabas (130 A.D), and others.
2. There is plenty of available testimony from other writers connected to the apostolic age. Tatian (170 A.D.), a student of Justin Martyr, included John in his harmony of the Gospels. Irenaeus who was a direct disciple of John had a pupil named Polycarp who reports that John indeed published the 4th gospel.
3. There are many heretics and unbelievers from the post apostolic age who quote John.
4. The Muratorian fragment gives testimony that John was a disciple and the author of the 4th Gospel.
Introduction Matters:
The purpose of John's Gospel is multifaceted. John urges God's people to be holy. They are to be a discriminating people and at the same time an assured people.
If we read different commentaries on John we find different ideas as to why John was written. Some say he wrote to supplement the ministry of Jesus. Others say he wrote to challenge Gnosticism. Still others claim it is a polemic against the Jews. When we compare John against the writings of Peter and Paul, the polemic argument does not stand. Peter and Paul were polemic but not John. To better understand why John was written, let's look at some of his work.
Without being overly detailed, we need to talk about "signs" (semeion). There are also teras usually translated "wonders." Other words used are dunamis (miracles) and paradoxin, amazing things seen. In John, the "sign" is not as important as the idea that the sign is meant to convey. For example, when Jesus feed the 5000, that sign was proof that He was the bread of life. And, the "Bread of Life" is greater than the miracle.
But, John selected signs for a purpose. Lets look at seven:
1. Water to wine in chapter 2. Jesus is the master of quality!
2. Healing the official's son ch. 4. Jesus is the master of distance.
3. Healing the invalid (38 years). Jesus is the master of time.
4. Feeding 5000 (6). Jesus is the master of quantity.
5. Walking on water (6). Jesus is the master of natural law.
6. Healing the man born blind. Jesus is the master of misfortune.
7. Raising Lazarus. (11) Jesus is the master of death.
BELIEVING "PISTEUO" (i.e. faithing) is used 98 times in John.
It is complete trust and commitment. Thayer calls it a conviction full of joy. Believing Includes:
1. A conviction in the Messiah
2. Joyful trust in someone (Jesus)
3. Obedience is part of believing. (Jn. 3:36, Heb. 3:18,19).
LIFE IS USED: 36 times in John.
In John there is a pattern. "Signs" + believing = Life.
"Signs" + unbelieving = death
Jesus then as John portrays Him is:
1. The knowledge of God
2. Satisfaction in God (the bread of life) (6:35)
3. Preservation and enjoyment in God (10:10)
4. Eternal duration (12:35)
Witnesses - another key word in John
Reminds us of a stage play. One group after another brought on the stage to give their testimony.
In John, Witness as a Noun is used 14 times.
In Matthew -0
In Mark - 3
In Luke -1
As a verb the word is used 33 times.
1- Matthew
1- Luke
0 - Mark
___The witness was an important concept to establish Christ and His words as from God.
___Even Moses was a witness to Jesus
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46"For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me. 47But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?" John 5: 46-47
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There is an abundance of human witness in the book of John: Nathaniel, Moses, Samaritan woman, Peter, Nicodemus, Mary the mother of Jesus.
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The Book of John Chapter One |
A brief outline:
A. The Prologue, 1:1-18, an abridged history of the earthly ministry of the Word
1. The Pre-existence of the Word described
a. Co-existent, v. 1,2
b. Co-equal, v. 3-5
2. The Word manifested to the Jews and their rejection of Him, 1:6-11
a. John the Baptist a witness for Him, vv. 6-8
b. His own witness rejected, vv. 9-11
3. The Word manifested to others, and their acceptance of Him, 1:12-18.
a. The spiritual reborn made children of God, vv. 12-13.
b. These beheld the glory of God in Him, vv. 14-18.
I. Since we have already had an in-depth discussion on Jesus as the Word or the Logos, at this juncture we refer the reader to that page. (here)
A. The beginning that John refers to here is the beginning of time and the material universe as found in Genesis 1:1.
a. Our finite minds cannot comprehend eternity. Before there was a cosmos there was Jesus. See John 8:58. Jesus said that before there was anything else, He was.
b. John boldly proclaims that Jesus was the God behind all creation.
B. There are at least three definitions of "Word" as we understand it in English.
1. A "word" is a medium or manifestation. Words are thoughts that have been clothed. Jesus then made manifest the invisible God or the "thoughts" of God.
2. A "word" is a means of communication. It is by words we transmit our thoughts to other people. By words we make our wills known. Christ then becomes the divine communication of God's word.
3. A "word" is a method of revelation. By his words a speaker exhibits his intellectual character and his moral character. By our words we shall be justified and by those same words, condemned. "Christ then reveals the attributes of God. How fully has Christ revealed God? He displayed His power. He manifested His wisdom. He exhibited His holiness. He made known His grace. He unveiled His heart. In Christ, and nowhere else, is God fully and finally told out."
B. There are at least four Divine Names Given to Jesus in the first five verses.
Jesus is the Word, the Maker (Creator), the Life, and the Light.
C. We understand the reference to Jesus being the light is also a reference to Jesus in Genesis 1:3 but:
There are four other ways in which Jesus was the light.
(1) First, Christ is the "true light" as the undeceiving light. Satan himself transformed into an angel of light (II Cor. 11:14) but Jesus came to deceive no one.
(2) Christ is the "real light." The Old Testament conveyed light through shadows and copies and rituals. These were dim lights, not so with Jesus.
(3) Christ is the Underived light. The sun, moon, and stars are lessor lights and derive their essence from elsewhere. Not so with Christ.
(4) Christ is the Super Eminent Light. There is one glory for the sun, another for the moon, and another for the stars. All of these "pale" before the true light of Christ.
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6There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light. 9There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. 10He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. 12But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, 13who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. |
A Summary of the Above.
John was not the light but was sent to point to the true Light manifested in the flesh. Those who should have received Him rejected Him.
A. John was an apostello.
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ἀποστέλλω
(apostellō 649) |
B. The name "John" is a Greek form of Jonathan which means a gift from God.
a. Jonathan in the OT like John in the NT gave up glory of his own to serve his master. Jonathan served David, while John served Jesus.
b. If we notice the text, the writer, John points out that John the Baptist was not the true light. It was necessary to make this point since John the Baptist had a large following (Matt. 3:5).
c. Many people believed John to be the Christ (Lk. 3:15, Jn. 1:19).
d. In those days as in these days there were "preacher lovers" (See 1st Cor. 1:12-13). John the Baptist refused to have a "preacher-lover following" but humbled himself before the Lord.
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Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. Matthew 11:11 |
C. John was a "witness"
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μαρτυρία
(marturia 3141) |
D. John was to give "testimony"
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μαρτυρέω
(martureō 3140) |
[ v. 9 is said to be the Quaker text. This is the proof text for their inner light theory. This theory must be rejected. The Bible teaches nowhere that everyone is enlightened whether they want it or not. Some Quakers refer to this idea as the illuminating light. ]
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Inner light is a concept which many Quakers, members of the Religious Society of Friends, use to express their faith and beliefs. Each Quaker has a different idea of what they mean by "inner light," and this also varies internationally between Yearly Meetings, but the idea is often taken to refer to God's presence within a person, and to a direct and personal experience of God. Quakers believe that God speaks to everyone, and in order to hear God's voice, it helps to be still and actively listen for it. This is often done in meeting for worship; Paul Lacout, in Quaker Faith and Practice, described a "silence which is active" causing the Inner Light to "glow".[1] They believe not only that individuals can be guided by this Inner Light, but that Friends might meet together and receive collective guidance from God by sharing the concerns and leadings that he gives to individuals.[2] In a Friends meeting it is usually called "ministry" when a person shares aloud what the Inner Light is saying to him or her: (Here for the complete article) |
C. V. 10, the irony of the One who made the world, not known by the world.
D. Jesus rejected by His own people. V.11
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11to his own things he came, and his own people did not receive him; Youngs Literal Translation |
1. Israel exisited only for Chirst not for themsleves and yet they rejected Him. The whole of the OT cannon of Scripture was about Jesus and His eternal pupose (Zech. 2:12; Hosea 9:3; Jer. 2:7; 16:18; Lev. 25:23; and many, many more).
2. The entire history of Israel was a training ground to prepare the nation for Jesus (Gal. 3:24).