May 7th, 2014 INTRODUCTION – Bio on John the apostle – Father = Zebedee, mother = Salome, brother = James. John worked for his family fishing business (Matt. 4:21) until he began to follow Jesus full time.
How Peter & John are typically viewed by folk: Usually think of Peter as having the most significant transformation; and the greatest need for transformation because of all his failures and stumblings. And sometimes we seem to think of John as kind of holy and pure from the beginning. But John’s need was also very significant, as was his transformation after Jesus rose from the dead.
John’s failures and stumblings: Mark 3:17 “Sons of Thunder” Why did Jesus call them that? Luke 9:51-56 Luke 9:46-48 – arguing about who is the greatest – – don’t know for sure who is arguing. But notice who speaks up right after this (vs. 49): connection to next passage Luke 9:49,50 – stopping the non team member & Jesus’s rebuke Matthew 20:20,21 – Their mother’s request & their response to His question
John was part of the inner circle of 3 = peter, james and john with Jesus in raising of Jairus’s daughter; transfiguration; garden of gethsemane
Only one of the 12 present at crucifixion – – given responsibility to take care of Jesus’s mother The Disciple Whom Jesus Loved – John 13:23, 19:26, 20:2, 21:7, 21:20 Why? (Mary – we looked at all these passages and then pondered why. Decided the reason John rarely names himself in his gospel, but refers to himself as “the disciple whom Jesus loved” is because he was so taken aback and transformed by Jesus’s love for him in spite of his failures and sin.
John never preached in Acts – mostly in background. Often ministered with Peter, but Peter’s name always mentioned first and more in forefront.
Big Picture on John’s Gospel Not one of the synoptic gospels. What is a synoptic gospel? Syn- means same (as in synchronize, same time), and optic of course refers to sight. The three first Gospels are syn-optic because they see alike. Matthew, Mark and Luke have many similarities; include many of the same stories, often in a similar sequence and in similar wording. John’s gospel stands alone and leaves out significant things like: Jesus’s genealogy, birth, baptism, temptation, casting out of demons, parables, transfiguration, instituting of the Lord’s supper, agony in Gethsemane, and His ascension. But adds a number of things that the synoptics leave out. Sometimes referred to as the “gospel apart”.
General Purpose of four gospels: Matthew – Jesus as King; Mark – Jesus as Servant; Luke – Jesus as Son of Man – His humanity. John – Son of God – His deity.
Key verse = John 20:30, 31 “but these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.”
Much of this gospel is wrapped around the seven “I Am” statements/declarations (bread of life, light of the world, door (of the sheepfold), good shepherd, resurrection and the life, way, truth and the life, true vine; and the seven signs or miracles (water into wine, healing of the royal official’s son, healing of the man at the pool of Bethesda, feeding of the 5,000, walking on the water, healing of the blind man, raising of lazarus; , and what is commonly called the upper room discourse = chps. 13-17.
Key Words: truth – 26x’s; know – 95 x’s; believe – 55 x’s; world – 78 x’s; judgment 13 x’s; love – 26 x’s; light 23x’s; life – 47 x’s;
A working outline: I. Prologue – 1:1-18 II. The Signs of the Son of God – 1:19-12:50 III. The Secrets of the Son of God – 13-17 IV. The Sorrows of the Son of God – 18-20 V. Epilogue – 21:1-25
Homework for John 1:1-18: 1. Who is Jesus in terms of creation from vs. 1-3? What role did He play in creation? Any clues from Genesis 1 that He was involved? 2. Why is it important to know Jesus as Creator? 3. Why is He called “the Word”? Greek word = logos. Significance of that word/term? 4. What is meant by “life” in vs. 4? 5. How is He the “light of men”? 6. What was John the Baptizer’s role in vs. 6-8? 7. How is Jesus contrasted or differentiated from John the Baptizer in vs. 6-10? 8. What response was expected and is appropriate today to Jesus Christ? 9. How did many respond to Jesus in that day? 10. What relationship does “become” in vs. 12 and “born” in vs. 13 have? 11. What is significant about Jesus becoming flesh in vs. 14? 12. What does His “glory” refer to in vs. 14? 13. What was Jesus said to be full of in vs. 14? 14. Who was born first – John the Baptizer or Jesus (see vs. 15 & Luke 1:57 & Luke 2:7) 15. What did John the apostle say he and the other disciples had received from Jesus in vs. 16? 16. How is Jesus contrasted with Moses in vs. 17? 17. What was one of the roles of Jesus’s earthly life and ministry according to vs. 18? 18. How have any of these truths affected your life? 19. How would you like for them to affect your life?