The Gospel of John
(2) Breakdown and Introduction
Key: BSQ = Bible Study Questions, SS = Sermon Script, ET = English Translation, EN = Exegetical Notes., TI=Textual Issue.
Acknowledgements: The sermon scripts are from my time in the Parishes of Beverly Hills with Kingsgrove, Shellharbour, and Mulgoa, updated and edited. It was a privilege to minister in those parishes. I have continued to work on the Gospel of John, both in adding new scripts and refining my work. Some of these sermon scripts form the basis of much shorter talks I give at Carol Allen House at Richmond.
The English Translations are my own, progressively made and revised since about 2011. The Exegetical Notes on chapters 1-6 and 15 are in part based on the notes I and others took in class from lectures by Dr Phillip Kern, notes I made in preparation for NT2 at Moore College in 2000, and supplemented by commentary work using Morris, Carson, Kostenberger and others, and more recently made in the light of translation, exegetical, and theological issues.
In terms of commentators, I have more recently found Kostenberger's BECNT helpful and my go-to resource. Of the older commentaries, Barrett is always insightful, Godet sometimes has interesting insights, and Lindars is interesting for his influence, if any, on Carson. At times I have also at various times consulted Ridderbos, Bruce, Brown, and Keener.
The introduction and general breakdown below rely heavily on notes taken from an inspiring lecture by the Rev Dr Willis Salier on the Gospel of John I heard at Glenmore Park Anglican Church. I have expanded and researched various points here, and while I acknowledge the inspiration and learning I received from Bill, the responsibility for the specific delineation of pericopes are my own, as is the exegesis and sermon scripts. I also acknowledge the assistance I received from Bible Studies and Sermons written by Ray Galea, Senior Pastor at my home church of MBM Rooty Hill Anglican, and used here, when they appear, with permission.
SS 39/39 completed, BSQ 18/39 completed.
The First Half: The Signs and Testimony of the Son (John 1-12)
The First Quarter: Introducing Jesus (John 1-4)
Prologue (John 1:1-18)
1. John 1:1-18: God Becomes Human to Bring Us to God [BSQ, SS, ET, EN]
The First Week of Jesus' Ministry (John 1:19-2:11, cf. 3:22-36)
2. John 1:19-39, 3:22-36: John the Baptist's Testimony to Jesus [BSQ, SS, ET, EN]
3. John 1:40-51: Jesus' First Disciples: Bring Your Friends to the Stairway to Heaven [BSQ, SS, ET, EN]
4. John 2:1-12: The First Sign, in Cana: Water to Wine at a Wedding [BSQ, SS, ET, EN]
Jesus' Signs & Testimony in Jerusalem for His First Passover (John 2:13-3:21)
5. John 2:13-22: Many Signs, But a Sign Delayed: Razing and Raising the Temple [BSQ, SS, ET, EN]
6. John 2:23-3:12 Being Born From Above: Nicodemus at Night [BSQ, SS, ET, EN]
7. John 3:13-21: In This Way God Loved The World [BSQ, SS, ET, EN]
Jesus' Signs & Testimony in Samaria & Galilee (John 4:1-54)
8. John 4:1-42: Jesus' Words to the Samaritans and the Woman at the Well [BSQ, SS, ET, EN]
9 John 4:43-54 The Second Sign, in Cana Also: A Sick Son Saved By The Son of God Speaking [BSQ, SS, ET, EN]
The Second Quarter: Challenging Jesus (John 5-12)
Jesus' Sign & Testimony in Jerusalem for a Feast (John 5:1-47)
10. John 5:1-47: The Third Sign of Raising The Paralysed Man in Jerusalem, and The Testimony of Jesus' Creative Work on the Sabbath [Intro to chs 5-12, BSQ, SS, ET, EN]
Jesus' Signs & Testimony Around Galilee Around His Second Passover (John 6:1-7:9)
11. John 6:1-15: The Fourth Sign of Feeding in the Desert: A Feast Fit For The King [BSQ, SS, ET, EN]
12. John 6:16-21: The Fifth Sign on Lake Galilee: The I AM Walking On Water & Bringing The Boat Back [BSQ, SS, ET, EN]
13. John 6:22-71: Life Giving Bread From Heaven [BSQ, SS, ET, EN partial]
Jesus in Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles (John 7:1-10:21)
14. John 7:1-52: Who is Jesus? The One Offering Living Water To All Who Come [BSQ, SS, ET, EN partial]
15. John 8:1-11: The Woman Caught in Adultery [TI, ET]
16. John 8:12-30: Who is Jesus? The Light of the World, The One Lifted Up to Save From Sin [BSQ, SS, ET, EN partial]
17. John 8:31-59: Who is Jesus? The Great "I AM" before Abraham; & How To Lose Friends & Annoy People: Call Your Disciples Liars, Murderers, and Children of the Devil [BSQ, SS, ET]
18. John 9:1-41: Who is Jesus? The Sixth Sign of the Blind Man Seeing the Light of the World [SS, ET]
19. John 10:1-21: Who is Jesus? The Gate & The Good Shepherd, Laying Down his Life for his Sheep [SS, ET]
Jesus at the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem in Winter (John 10:22-39)
20. John 10:22-42: Who is Jesus? The Son of God & God the Son, One in Being With the Father [SS, ET]
Jesus in Bethany with Mary, Martha & Lazarus Prior to Passover (John 11:17-44, 12:1-11)
21. John 11:1-44: Who is Jesus? The Seventh Sign of Jesus Being the Resurrection & the Life By Raising Lazarus in Bethany [SS, ET]
23. John 12:1-11: Jesus in Bethany Again, Anointed by Mary, Served by Martha, & Destined to Die [SS, ET]
Jesus' Final Passover: His Entry into Jerusalem, and Conclusion of the Book of Signs (12:12-50)
24. John 12:12-26: Jesus' Triumphal Entry Into Jerusalem: The World has Gone After Him, and He is Going Out of the World [SS, ET]
25. John 12:27-36: The Voice from Heaven, and the Death that Will Draw All Men To Him [SS, ET]
26. John 12:37-50: The Conclusion to the Book of Signs: Jesus' Short-Lived Testimony: The Light that Briefly Shines and Then Is Hidden, But Still Bears Light For Believers [BSQ, SS, ET, EN]
The Second Half: The Glorification of the Son: Jesus' Death and Resurrection (John 13-21)
The Third Quarter: Jesus About To Return To The Father (John 13-17)
The Upper Room After Dinner Conversation (John 13-14)
27. John 13:1-17: After Dinner Conversation Starters No 1: Jesus' Parting Illustration of Washing the Disciple's Feet [SS, ET]
29. John 14:1-7: After Dinner Conversation Starters No 3: Thomas' Question: Jesus is the Way and He is Going Away [SS, ET, EN partial]
33. John 14:15-17: After Dinner Conversation Starters No 4: Philip's Question: (4) Two Advocates For the Disciples
35. John 14:22-31: After Dinner Conversation Starters No 5: Judas' Question: The Holy Spirit Will Remind You [SS, ET, EN partial]
Talking & Walking With Jesus From the Upper Room To The Garden (John 15-17)
36. John 15:1-17: Jesus the True Vine: The Great Command & the Greatest Love [SS, ET]
37. John 15:18-16:4: What To Do When the World Hates You [SS, ET]
38. John 16:5-15: The Testimony of the Advocate, the Holy Spirit [BSQ, SS, ET]
39. John 16:16-33: Birth Pains Until He Returns [SS, ET]
40. John 17:1-26: Jesus' High Priestly Prayer For Himself, His Disciples, And All Believers [SS, ET]
The Fourth Quarter: The Greatest Love of All (John 18-21)
Jesus' Arrest, Trial & Execution (John 18-19)
41. John 18:1-40: Jesus' Worshipped By His Arresting Officers, and Before the High Priests and Pilate [SS, ET, EN partial]
42. John 19:1-42: Jesus, Master of His Own Death and Burial [SS, ET]
Jesus' Resurrection Appearances & John's Epilogue (John 20:10-21:25)
43. John 20:1-31: Mary, John, the Ten, and Thomas Believe: And So Can We! [SS, ET, EN partial]
44. John 21:1-25: The Miraculous Catch and the Problem of Peter's Denial: From 'Gone Fishing' To Shepherding Sheep [BSQ, SS, ET, EN]
(3) Topical Studies
The “I AM” Statements in John’s Gospel
Does John Have a Theology of the Atonement?
(4) An Introduction to the Gospel of John
Acknowledgement: This introduction to the Gospel of John is based on notes I took from a lecture from Rev Dr Bill Salier, expanded, edited, and augmented. The responsibility for what appears here is my own.
Bibliography
Raymond Brown, The Gospel According to John: Anchor Bible, New York: Doubleday, 1966/70, 2 Vols.
D A Carson, The Gospel According to John: Pillar, Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1991.
Leon Morris, The Gospel According to John: NICNT, Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1971.
Leon Morris, ‘The Atonement In John's Gospel’, Criswell Theological Review 3.1 (1988) 49-64, at https://faculty.gordon.edu/hu/bi/ted_hildebrandt/ntesources/ntarticles/ctr-nt/morris-johnsatonement-ctr.htm.
John Painter, ‘Eschatological Faith in the Gospel of John’, in R Banks (ed), Reconciliation and Hope: New Testament Essays on Atonement and Eschatology, fs. LL Morris: Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1974, 37ff.
Who Wrote The Gospel of John?
The ‘Fourth Gospel’ is anonymous and claims to have been written by an eyewitness. The consensus of the early church was to attribute it to John Zebedee, John the Apostle, who was an eyewitness. A further indicator that John the Apostle was John the Evangelist is that the apostle John is not mentioned by name in John’s Gospel. The references to “the disciple whom Jesus loved” are most probably a (humble) convention John the Apostle adopts to refer to himself.
John the Apostle is known to us from the other Gospel accounts as one of the ‘sons of thunder’ (Mark 3:17), the brother of James and son of Zebedee (Matt 4:21). Jesus probably gave them that nickname because they were short tempered or zealous, elsewhere shown by them being quick to call divine judgement down on ‘sinners’ (Luke 9:54). They are also revealed in the other Gospels as ambitious, wanting to cement the second and third highest places in Jesus' kingdom (Mark 10:35-40).
John is known as ‘the apostle of love’ because he continually exhorts the believers, “Little children, love one another”. Comparing John’s writings as an old man exhorting ‘love’ with these early vignettes of him, we can catch a glimpse of the change wrought on this brash young man by his contact with Jesus. Together with Peter, James and John were privileged members of the inner circle with Jesus (e.g. Matt 17:1; Mark 5:37, 9:2, 13:3, 14:33)—before Jesus called them, they were business partners with Simon Peter and Andrew in the fishing trade on lake Galilee (Luke 5:10).
When Did John Write?
By the end of the first century, we find John in exile on the island of Patmos for the sake of the gospel (Rev 1:9). It is probable around this time that John writes his Gospel, as well as the Book of Revelation. However, there is no explicit date given when the Gospel of John was written, but the best guess is towards the end of the first century AD. The consensus is John wrote his Gospel in about AD 85 or 90. By that stage, John was a very old man.
Early church history informs us that John published his Gospel in Ephesus in modern day Turkey. For some of these early church sources, see the Exegetical Notes at on John 1:19-39, 3:22-36 under the heading ‘John the Baptist, the Apostle John, and Ephesus as Provenance for the Gospel of John’.
A possibility for the origin of John’s Gospel is the almost certain fact that the apostle John was preaching about Jesus over many years prior to authoring his Gospel. It is possible that eventually John brought his seven best sermons as a ‘preface’ to his passion and resurrection accounts. So in the so-called ‘Book of Signs’, we find that John typically records an account of an incident concerning Jesus, with a Christological teaching derived from, illustrated by, and attached to the account of the incident or interaction.
Why Did John Write?
John explicitly tells us the purpose of his Gospel in John 20:30-31:
But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (NIV)
John says that his Gospel is about Jesus, his identity, and the implications of Jesus’ identity (‘life’), and the response to his identity (‘believing’). John 20:31 is the key to understanding John’s Gospel, and everything else in the gospel is geared to illiciting the response of ‘believing’ in Jesus so that a person might have ‘life’ in his name. John’s Gospel imparts information about Jesus’ self revelation and acts in salvation-history, but all with the purpose of a eliciting a response in the reader, ‘believing’ and a consequential result of that believing, being ‘life’.
The two appearances of the verb πιστεύω (‘I believe’) in John 20:30-31 is an example of the primary use John makes of it to describe the proper human response to Jesus, that is, believing. The use of the verb rather than the noun gives accent and emphasis to the human action of believing. John doesn’t use the noun πίστις (‘belief’, or ‘faith’), unlike Paul, the other Gospel writers, or Jesus himself in those other Gospels, but only the verb, ‘believe’ (πιστεύω).
In fact, John’s Gospel uses the verb πιστεύω more than any other New Testament book or author (98 instances in John’s Gospel out of 239 in the whole New Testament, the next most frequent use of the verb being 54 across the 13 Pauline letters). Yet John has not one instance of the noun πίστις, compared to 142 instances in Paul (for these statistics, see Painter 1974: 37-38; cf. 'http://catholic-resources.org/John/Themes-Believe.htm).
The Gospel ‘From Above’
John’s Gospel is frequently distinguished from Matthew, Mark, and Luke, often termed ‘synoptic’. This label ‘synoptic’ reflects their similarities, which allow Matthew, Mark, and Luke to be easily and minutely compared and contrasted. By contrast, John is very different. For example, the events recorded in the first 4 chapters of John’s Gospel aren’t recorded in the synoptics at all—only John records these encounters with and acts of Jesus. John’s Gospel is different.
A generalization that has proved accurate and helpful is that the synoptics look at Jesus ‘from the ground up’, a human perspective, but John gives us a different ‘top down’, divine perspective. Matthew, Mark, and Luke almost certainly used one another in drawing up their accounts. But John brings us an independent perspective—not necessarily ignorant of the other accounts, but far enough removed from them to be a significantly different and unique perspective of the same person Jesus and a number of the same events. While all of the Gospel accounts are ‘theological’, John’s Gospel is rich and heavy with theological reflection in a way that the other Gospels are not.
We can see this from the way that the Gospel of John begins. The prologue of John’s Gospel takes us back to the very beginning, indeed before God created the world—and at that point, the Word was with God and was God (John 1:1-3, cf. vv. 14, 18, 17:5). John’s view of Jesus is a cosmic, majestic, ‘top down’ view—the eternal Word who was God and became flesh. Jesus Christ is the Word who was with God and was God who became flesh, the one “from above” and “comes from heaven” (John 3:31). There is no mystery in John’s Gospel as to who Jesus really is, no need for the reader to look for and weigh all the clues in the account, and thus it is not an ‘historical’ view of Jesus’ person and work, as we see in the synoptics. That is not to say John doesn’t write history. He does. But it is more than history. It is heavily theological, giving the deep and profound apostolic reflection and statements of who Jesus is at the very beginning of the Gospel account.
We have noticed that in John’s Gospel, Jesus is announced as divine at the beginning of the Gospel, and this truth doesn’t simply emerge on the way through the account, as it does in the synoptics. But in John’s Gospel, we also see a very human portrait of Jesus. So Jesus becomes tired in John 4 and so asks the Samaritan woman for a drink, and he weeps at Lazarus’ tomb and grieves for him in John 11. John does not allow us to be docetic, that Jesus only seemed to be truly human. Jesus truly became flesh and pitched his tent among us (John 1:14).
Clement of Alexandria’s Characterization of John's Gospel
The following is an early characterization of John’s Gospel, recorded by Eusebius of Caesarea (Ecclesiastical History, 6.14.5-7) communicating to us that which was taught by Clement of Alexandria (c. late second and early third centuries):
But, last of all, John—aware that the outward facts had been set out in the [synoptic] Gospels—was encouraged by his disciples and divinely motivated by the Spirit, composed a spiritual gospel.
Clement through Eusebius tells us that John wrote a “spiritual Gospel”, that is, that John takes us more into the underlying meaning and the ‘spirit’ of who Jesus is and the meaning of what he did, rather than tell us simply what Jesus did. Thus, John concentrates on only seven ‘signs’, while saying that Jesus did so much more than those seven (John 21:25).
Private Rather Than Public Teaching
John also concentrates on Jesus’ private teaching to the disciples about himself, his relationship to the Father, his mission, and the coming of the Spirit (e.g. John 13-17), in addition to Jesus’ public teaching. In John’s Gospel, there are lengthy speeches from Jesus, including Jesus’ private conversations with the disciples, but in the synoptic Gospels we are presented primarily with Jesus’ public teaching (e.g. Matt 5-7, Mark 4), and only occasionally Jesus’ private teaching is related. For an example of Jesus’ private teaching in the synoptics and its similarity to Jesus’ mode of speech recorded by John, see Matthew 11:25-27. Moreover, there are no real parables in John’s Gospel, and this fact is consistent with John being an account and characterization of Jesus’ private teaching to his disciples, where he explained everything to them (e.g. Mark 4:33).
Elegant Simplicity Yet A Profound Message
The Gospel of John has an elegant simplicity of style which conveys a deeply profound message. It is frequently said that John’s Gospel is so shallow that a child can wade in it, and yet so deep that an elephant can drown in it.[1]
The Seven Signs in John’s Gospel
The Gospel of John describes seven miracles, called ‘signs’, five of which aren’t recorded in other Gospels. In the synoptic Gospels, the miracles are called dynameis, ‘works of power’, but in John’s Gospel, they are called semeia, ‘signs’.
While John reports in a number of places that Jesus did many ‘signs’ he only gave accounts of a few of Jesus' signs in his Gospel, and the generally accepted number of them is seven.
First, Jesus turned water into wine without even a word or fiat, showing that he came to bring in a new way of relating with God, not by the ceremonial requirements of the law of Moses, but by the grace and abundance of Jesus Christ (John 2:1-12, cf. 1:17). Second, he heals the royal official's son from a distance, showing that he is indeed the saviour of the world (John 4:43-54). Third, Jesus gave the crippled man the use of his legs without using the pool, nor, seemingly, requiring faith from him, showing that he is God who can work on the Sabbath (John 5:1-15). Fourth, Jesus fed the 5000 men in the desert, showing that he is the true bread coming down from heaven, and indeed the king of Israel (John 6:1-15, 22-71). Fifth, he walks on water showing himself the I am who treads the waves and brings the mariners safely home (John 6:16-21). Sixth, he gave sight to the man born blind, showing that he is the light of the world (John 9:1-41). And seventh, earlier in chapter 11, he raised Lazarus from the dead, showing that he is the resurrection and the life (John 11:1-44).
If we were to separately count the bringing of the boat back to safety as a separate sign (John 6:21), it would be eight. And John has reported that many other signs have occurred (John 2:23, 3:2, 6:2,26, 7:31, 9:16, 11:47). And this count does not include Jesus’ miraculous knowledge or supernatural insight, such as he demonstrated to Nathaniel (John 1:48-50), and the Samaritan woman (John 4:16-19, 29, 39): the commonly accepted list of signs in John does not include his seeing Nathaniel under the fig tree before Phillip called him (John 1:40-52), nor knowing about the Samaritan woman's five husbands and her current man not being her husband (John 4:1-42). Neither does it include the voice from heaven (John 12:27-30).
We also might generalize to observe that in each instance of a miracle, the ‘degree of difficulty’ in John’s Gospel is increased when the case that John records is compared to those of the synoptics. Thus we have a healing with a word from a distance (without laying hands or seeing the person), or of a man born blind (not just blind some other way). Of course, there are instances like this in the synoptics also, but John is careful in choosing those miracles that are both the most difficult of the class, but also those which teach or illustrate something profound about Jesus.
It is interesting to compare the healing miracle of the synoptics and John with regard to the faith of the supplicants. One of the key sentences in the synoptics is “your faith has saved you”. But in John 5, the man walks away from his encounter with Jesus and doesn’t even know who Jesus is. This suggests that Jesus doesn’t even need the faith of the supplicant to heal.
As indicated above, Jesus has also spoken, and not simply performed miraculous signs. Some people have not required signs, but only Jesus’ word, to believe in him. Jesus saw Nathaniel under the fig tree, and told Nathaniel about it, and that was enough for him to believe that Jesus was the king of Israel (John 1:47-50). Jesus told the Samaritan women everything she ever did, and the report of that, and then the Samaritans themselves hearing, was enough for them, and they believed that Jesus was the saviour of the world (John 4:16-19, 28-29, 39, 41). As far as the temple attendants were concerned, no one had ever spoken like him (John 7:46). And while these words of Jesus do engender faith, they do not seem to have been called ‘signs’ by John. They are ‘words’. But while Jesus’ ‘signs’ do not include Jesus’ ‘words’, both Jesus’ ‘words’ and ‘signs’ are the ‘works’ that Jesus does which reveal the Father (John 14:10-12).
Jesus would have us believe in him because of his words, which reveal the indwelling Father. For Jesus, unbelief in his words is blameworthy, and belief because of signs is better than nothing, but is still insufficient (John 10:37-38, cf. 4:48). For Jesus spoke only what he heard from his Father. True and proper faith is in Jesus’ words, and not in signs, though Jesus will receive the testimony of signs, so that his hearers might believe and have eternal life.
Jesus' "I am" statements are a special form of John's titular Christology, for which see this separate study.
The Hour and Time of Jesus and the Narrative Progression
Jesus frequently makes statements throughout the course of his earthly ministry about his “hour” or “time” not having yet come (John 2:4, 7:6, 8, 30, 8:20). But these statements are in view of the completion of his work on the cross. When Jesus perceives that his death by crucifixion has drawn near, Jesus declares that his “hour has come" (12:23; cf. 12:27; 13:1; 16:32; 17:1). Jesus’ statement that “it is finished”, uttered from the cross (John 19:30), confirms it is the climax of the Gospel account (Morris 1988: 49-50).
What Is The Structure of John’s Gospel?
The structure of the gospel and its themes can be looked at in two ways. In this, John's Gospel is just like an AFL game: it is a Gospel in two halves and also at the same time a Gospel of four quarters.
(1) A Gospel in Two Halves
The simplest way to think about the structure of John’s Gospel is to think about a gospel in two halves. Raymond Brown (1928-98) popularized this way of thinking about John’s Gospel, calling chapters 1-12 ‘the book of signs’ (The Gospel According to John: Anchor Bible, 1966/1970). ‘The book of signs’ gives us an account of the seven signs or public miracles that John has chosen to record for us. In this section of the Gospel, Jesus comes to his own people, but is rejected (cf. John 1:11). Chapter 12 ends on a negative note, and John returns to the Prophet Isaiah to understand why his own people have rejected (John 12:36-43).
The second half of John’s Gospel on this approach, chapter 13-21, is titled by Brown as ‘the book of glory’—an ironic and paradoxical title which reflects Jesus’ own view that his ‘glorification’ will occur by being ‘lifted up’ in crucifixion. ‘The book of glory’ reveals that Christ’s glory is the cross and subsequent resurrection. By his return to the Father, we can become children of God (cf. John 1:12). This half of the Gospel records the events and Jesus’ teaching from the night before Jesus died to the end of the Gospel, including some of Jesus’ resurrection appearances.
(2) A Gospel in Four Quarters
Another way to look at the Gospel of John is to see that the Gospel falls out into four sections, roughly quarters: chapters 1-4 (introducing Jesus), 5-12 (the challenges Jesus faces, and the way Jesus challenges others in response), 13-17 (Jesus' teaching in the light of his imminent return to the Father), and 18-21 (the glorification of Jesus in his death and resurrection).
First Quarter: John 1-4—Introducing Jesus
The first four chapters of John introduce Jesus to us. As readers, we get to hear what Jesus says and see what he does. In John 1-4, there is almost no questioning of Jesus, but a number of claims are made about him.
The Gospel begins with the prologue (John 1:1-18). By commencing his Gospel, “In the beginning was the Word”, John has supplied an immediate link with Genesis 1:1. Instead of writing, “In the beginning was God”, John wrote, “In the beginning was the Word”. The Word is distinct in some way from God (“with God”), but of the same essence or substance as God (“was God”). This Word becomes flesh (v. 14), and thus it is a reference to Jesus Christ. Words communicate, and thus this title, ‘the Word’ tells us that Jesus communicates who God is, because he is God become flesh.
In contrast with the synoptics, where we are introduced to him as ‘Jesus the Christ’ (e.g. Mark 1:1), and wonder ‘Who is this man?’, in John’s prologue, we only hear Jesus’ name mentioned in John 1:17, but from the very first we know that he is God. The battle Jesus engaged in is hinted at in the prologue, as he is explicitly said to be not received by his own (John 1:11). The Word became flesh in verse 14—hence John’s is the Gospel from above. In verse 18, Jesus has come to reveal who God is. By making God known, Jesus Christ, the Word become flesh enables people to become children to God.
John 1:19-2:11 records the first week of Jesus' public ministry, at least that known of and recorded by John.
In John chapter 1, we observe that various titles are applied to Jesus, explaining who he is and what he does. There are 11 titles, all of them with a backstory, giving us different aspects of who Jesus is:
‘True light’ (v. 9, cf. 3:19-21): Jesus sheds light on who God is.
‘The Lamb of God’ (vv. 29, 36): Jesus will take away the sins of the world by being lifted up on the cross. This title picks up on the paradigm of Levitical sacrifices established in Israel’s worship. For a discussion of the theology of atonement in the Gospel of John, see the separate essay, Does John Have a Theology of the Atonement?
‘The Baptizer with the Spirit’ (v. 33): Jesus will overwhelm his people with the Spirit, as seen on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2. This description of Jesus originating from John the Baptist trades on a contrast with John the Baptist’s own ministry, whose baptism was an inferior one by comparison.
‘The Son of God’ (vv. 34, 49, cf. 3:16-18): This is John the Baptist’s testimony about Jesus. It is a similar title to Messiah in that its origins are from Psalm 2 and 2 Samuel 7, and describe the Davidic King, but given what John has already said about Jesus, it is a divine title.
‘Rabbi’=‘Teacher’ (vv. 38, 49, cf. 3:2): Accenting Jesus’ teaching role.
‘The Messiah’=‘the Christ’ (v. 41): This is the long promised Davidide, the King of Israel.
‘The one whom Moses and the Prophets wrote about’ (v. 45, cf. 1:51; 3:14): the predicted and prophesied one who fulfills God’s promises and Israel’s hopes.
‘Jesus of Nazareth’ and ‘the Son of Joseph’ (v. 45): He comes from a place and a family within Israel—a Davidic family.
‘The King of Israel’ (v. 49): Jesus is recognized as a royal figure.
Jesus refers to himself as the ‘Son of Man’ (v. 51; cf. 3:13-14; Dan 7:13-14).
He called God his own Father and he is the Son (John 2:16, cf. 3:35-36). He referred to the temple as his own body (2:19-21). In John 4:19, the Samaritan woman calls him a prophet (cf. 4:44). In John 4:42, the Samaritans consider that Jesus is “truly the Saviour of the World”, and he previously revealed himself to the woman at the well there as ‘Messiah’, ‘the Christ’ (John 4:25-26)
The incidents recorded for us in John 1-4 include Jesus calling disciples (1:35-51), changing water to wine (2:1-11), clearing the temple (2:13-22), speaking with Nicodemus (3:1-15), and talking with the Samaritan woman. Even here there are pointers to his coming death (3:14-16) and resurrection (2:19-22) as his lifting up and glorification. In this section there is a recurring theme of newness: new wine, new temple, new birth, and new worship. Jesus has come to bring about the renewal of all things: “Behold I will make all things new” (Rev 21:5).
Second Quarter: John 5-12—Challenging Jesus
Since the first miracle that Jesus performed, there had been people trying to lay hands on Jesus. There is conflict in John's Gospel. As we have seen, a number of claims have been made about Jesus in John 1-4. Now those claims are tested in John 5-12. But not only is Jesus challenged, but he also issued challenges. Jesus does some very provocative things. And in each of these signs, the extraordinary nature of the miracle is highlighted.
Jesus healed the man at the pool on the Sabbath (John 5:1-10). Again, Jesus does it just by speaking a word, and demonstrably not using the means of the water that was thought to provide the healing. Further, Jesus did the healing on the Sabbath. He could have waited one more day after the 38 years of paralysis, but provocatively chose that day, to make it an opportunity to talk to the about his identity and relationship with his Father (John 5:17-47). It is likewise with the man born blind, whom Jesus heals in John 9. Jesus has deliberately chosen to heal these men on the Sabbath to make a point, and it necessarily causes conflict with the Jews, who see that he is making claims to have God’s prerogatives.
To the consternation of those who doubted the historicity of John’s Gospel, in 1888 the site now thought to be the pool of Bethesda referred to in John 5:2-4 was found during the repairs of St Anne’s church, not far from the Sheep’s Gate and Tower of Antonia. Found below the ruined fourth century church, it has a five arch portico with faded frescoes of Jesus’ healing. In addition, in 1956 archaeologists further unearthed structures that they take to be the pools which Jesus visited: See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pool_of_Bethesda; http://www.bible-history.com/jerusalem/firstcenturyjerusalem_pool_of_bethesda.html.
An account of Jesus’ feeding of the 5000 (John 6:1-15) and walking on water (John 6:16-21) is found in all four Gospels, but John adds Jesus’ discourse on him being the bread of life (John 6:22-71). In the ancient world, everyone knew that only the gods could walk on water. Jesus says the words “I am” as he gets into the boat (John 6:20). What John says in 1:1, Jesus demonstrates in 6:19-20.
In John 9, Jesus heals the man born blind, and for most of the chapter, Jesus is not present—it is the longest portion of John’s Gospel when Jesus is off stage.
In John 11, Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead. The important detail of the Lazarus story is that Jesus waits for him to die. The thinking at that time was that after three days a person was stone cold dead and there was no chance of a swoon. So the resuscitation of Lazarus was all the more remarkable.
These four miracles are signs pointing to who Jesus is. There are three aspects to the sign.
The first is that the sign points away from itself to Jesus. Jesus by these signs is showing that he is the Messiah who was to come.
The second is that the sign points to Jesus being more than the Messiah: he is the Lord of creation, exercising his dominion as God the maker and sustainer. Jesus works with the matter of physical creation: feeding by multiplying the loaves and fish, or turning water into wine.
The third aspect is that, intended or not by John, there is an implicit critique of the pagan deities. So Dionysus, the god of the grape harvest and wine, could turn water to wine—a flask of water could be turned into wine. But the wedding at Cana shows, “You think Dionysus is good? Look at what Jesus can do!” The God of healing, Asclepius, was good with eyes, and the priest would examine the supplicant before the healing. Jesus comes to the pool, and heals in an instant. Implicit in all this is a contrast between what Jesus could offer and what the gods of the world could offer. Jesus is the true life giver and saviour of the world, for the Greeks as well as the Jews. The signs John recorded could have been read by Jews or non-Jews to receive eternal life.
Jesus is also present at the feasts of Israel, and provides an explicit re-definition of those festivals.
So in John 2, Jesus attends his first passover in Jerusalem, in chapter 6 the second, and chapters 18-20, the third and final passover, where Jesus dies. Each time the passover is mentioned, Jesus alludes to his death, and thereby Jesus shows that he is the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world and averting God’s wrath, fulfilling the passover festival.
At the heart of the feast of tabernacles was a light and water ceremony. In chapter 7, Jesus says he is the light of the world, fulfilling the light ceremony, and by offering streams of living water, Jesus claims to fulfill the meaning of the water ceremony in that festival.
The occasion of John 10 was the feast of dedication, celebrating the Jews’ rededication of the temple under the Maccabees. Jesus talks at that feast about how Jesus is dedicated (ἡγίασεν) by God (John 10:36). Jesus is going to the Jewish sacred places at their sacred times and saying that he fulfills them.
John reiterates the theme of conflict with the Jews, who constantly question and challenge Jesus’ right to say and do these things into John chapter 12, where we again read of the plot to kill Jesus. John reports several abortive attempts to kill Jesus prior to this time, but they are unsuccessful because his time had not yet come, but eventually the plot to kill Jesus that would be successful is hatched.
Jesus is on trial constantly in John’s Gospel, but gets no justice. The judges in John’s Gospel reach their verdict before the formal trial begins. Jesus is condemned in the narrative when the Jews tried to stone him, and eventually they succeed in having him crucified. And we as readers are involved in the trial ourselves and are asked to consider our verdict. All the claims of chapters 1-4 are tested in chapters 5-12. But while Jesus is on trial, Jesus has the uncanny way of turning the tables on his accusers, and putting them on trial, because they are denying the true and real God, and we as readers are asked to decide.
In Matthew, Mark, and Luke, the trial before the Jews is very long, but not in John’s Gospel. The account of the trial in John’s Gospel is a short one, limited to being before Pilate, the gentile ruler. This is because Jesus has been on trial before the Jews from chapters 5-12 in John’s Gospel.
Third Quarter: John 13-17—Jesus About To Return to The Father
This section features Jesus’ final evening with his own disciples, and consists predominantly of Jesus speaking—with the odd question asked by the disciples. This is Jesus’ farewell discourse, where he is explaining his imminent return to his Father.
The section begins with Jesus’ foot washing, an enacted parable or prophetic sign act. Peter is outraged, but once Jesus explains that it is necessary, Peter says, “Wash everything, then!” This is an important moment, because this action of Jesus is helping to explain what Jesus will do on the cross. Jesus on the cross is serving us. Unless Jesus serves us, we will have no part of him. We come to Jesus the Lord by Jesus being our servant. Jesus’ death is going to be a cleansing death, and the foot washing is a sign of this.
Additionally, the foot washing is an example for us. Jesus is saying, “I’m serving you. I’m cleansing you. You then go and serve others.” Jesus’ message is not morality first, but in the first instance is Christological—it is what Christ has come to do for us.
The disciples, after three wonderful years of walking with Jesus around Galilee and Judea, have an inkling that they have found the King of Israel. But then Jesus tells them, “I am going away.” Jesus’ discourse answers the questions “Why does Jesus have to go?” and “What is to happen to Jesus’ disciples?” The answer is that Jesus is homeward bound, where he will prepare a place for the disciples, and will return to take the disciples to the father to be with him and to give them life. While Jesus has gone, the disciples have a task of testifying to Jesus, a task they will be enabled to perform with the help of the Spirit, who will bear witness to Jesus’ words and works.
Fourth Quarter: John 18-21—The Greatest Love of All
As Jesus goes to the cross, he is showing his love for his disciples to the end. What unfolds in this section is the event of Jesus’ death and resurrection. The way John recounts the events and dialogue helps us to understand the meaning of Jesus’ death.
First, Jesus’ death is substitutionary, the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29, 36). His lifting up on a pole, as Moses lifted the snake in the desert, is the fulfillment of his father offering his Son’ life for the salvation of the world (John 3:14-16). Jesus claimed to be the good shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep (John 10:11).
This ‘laying down’ of Jesus’ life is enacted in John 18. Jesus virtually arrests himself: he says, “so if you seek me, let these men go” (John 18:8). Ironically, Caiaphas the High Priest had said in his official capacity that “it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish” (John 11:50-52). Jesus “would die for the nation” but also by that means “would gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad”. This is picked up again in John 18:14: “it would be expedient that one man should die for the people.” Jesus’ death is a substitutionary atoning act.
Second, Jesus’ death is his coronation as the king. This comes out in his conversation with Pilate. Jesus is a king, the king of the Jews, but his kingdom is not of this world (John 18:33-37, 19:12-15, 19-22). The soldiers twist together a crown of thorns, place upon him a purple robe and acclaim him with “Hail King of the Jews’ (John 19:1-5). This is dramatic irony. The Jews and the soldiers think they are mocking Jesus, but they are actually giving him his rightful honour as king. Jesus shows us that the king suffers and leadership involves service and suffering.
Third, John’s account emphasizes that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Passover as our Passover lamb who has been sacrificed for us (cf. John 11:55, 12:1, 13:1, 18:28, 39, and most poignantly, 19:14). Jesus dies at Passover time when the lambs are slaughtered, and is presented by Pilate to the people in that context: “Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover. It was about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, ‘Behold your King!’” (John 19:14). Jesus is both king and Passover lamb, the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29, 36). The mention of the hyssop branch is full of sacrificial significance, for hyssop was used to smear the blood of the Passover lamb on the doorframes the night of the Exodus (John 19:29; Exod 12:22; cf. Ps 51:7; Heb 9:19). And just as none of the bones of the Passover lamb were to be broken, and the Roman crucifixion squad don’t break any of Jesus’ bones either, despite the fact that this was their usual practice (John 19:31-36; cf. Exod 12:46; Num 19:12; Ps 34:20).
John emphasizes the physicality of the resurrection of Jesus. The risen Jesus bids Thomas, “Put your finger in the holes in my hands and your hand in my side” (John 20:24-29). Jesus prepares them a fish breakfast on the beach in John 21. This was not the appearance of a ghostly apparition, but a physical resurrection.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the renewal theme we have seen in John 1-4, and picks up on creation motifs. In John 20:1, Mary Magdalene comes to the empty tomb on at the first day of the week; it is still dark. Here is a hint of the Genesis creation account, for in the resurrection, Jesus is making the whole creation new. From John chapter 1 to 2:10, a time frame of a week is given, and in John 20:1ff, we again have the first day of the week. Likewise, when the risen Jesus breathes on the disciples to give the Spirit, he is giving life in a similar way to God giving life to Adam in the creation account (John 20:22; Gen 2:7). The resurrection of Jesus is not merely an astounding miracle, but brings in a new creation. The risen Jesus is the first fruits of the new creation that is coming. By believing in Jesus, we have hope beyond death and a promised life beyond death. Jesus demonstrates this in his signs, particularly in raising Lazarus, and in his own resurrection.
[1] Apparently this quote does not originate with Augustine, but Gregory the Great (AD 540-604) in his commentary on Job, wrote “Scripture is like a river again, broad and deep, shallow enough here for the lamb to go wading, but deep enough there for the elephant to swim” (Moralia 4) accessed at http://faculty.georgetown.edu/jod/texts/moralia1.html on 23 November 2017. Over time the quotation was particularly applied to John’s Gospel because of it being well suited, fitting, and appropriate to a book frequently regarded as elegantly simple and profound.