THE GOSPEL OF JOHN – OUTLINE OF TEACHING AND AUTHOR
'CP' denotes 'Compare Passage'
THE GOSPEL OF JOHN -
OUTLINE OF TEACHING AND AUTHOR John tells the story of Jesus quite differently to Matthew, Mark and Luke. His Gospel is unique inasmuch as it declares the preincarnate Deity of Jesus - that He is the Eternal God of all creation - in the very first verse in Ch 1. Jesus is not the Eternal Son of God as so many Christians in the contemporary Church have been erroneously taught. He became the Son at His incarnation - when He took on human form. This is a significant teaching for Christians today as it reveals Jesus' Eternal co-existence and co-equality with the Father, which also clearly refutes the claim by others in the professing Church that He was merely "a God". John also teaches in Ch 1 that although the Jews were awaiting their Messiah, they rejected Jesus as the One sent from God (CP Jn 1:1-51). See also author's comments on Jn 1 in his book A Question and Answer Study of the New Testament, and all related cross-reference Scriptures and studies referred to therein.
In Ch 2, John highlights the first miracle performed by Jesus in His public ministry which attested to His Deity and caused His disciples to believe in Him - He turned water into wine at the wedding in Cana. Ch 2 also records the first of three scourgings in the Temple by Jesus, and how He prophesied His death and Resurrection. In Ch 3 Jesus stresses the importance of the New Birth; of the need to be born again in order to be saved. He illustrates the effect of the Holy Spirit in the lives of Born Again Believers. Jesus also teaches here that His atoning death provides both Spiritual and physical healing for Believers. We also learn here that because they reject Christ, unbelievers condemn themselves to Hell - it is not God who condemns them (CP Jn 2:1-3:36). See also author's comments on Jn 2-3 in his book A Question and Answer Study of the New Testament, and all related cross-reference Scriptures and studies referred to therein. See also author's studies The Gospel of Salvation - How to Share it with Sinners and be a Soul-Winner for Christ and The Doctrine of Salvation in his book Advanced Studies in the Christian Faith (Volume 3).
Next, in Ch 4, John records Jesus' encounter with the woman at the well in Sychar. Jesus uses her need for natural water to sustain life as an object lesson for her need for Spiritual transformation. This teaching extends to all New Testament Christians - sinners must be made aware of the fact that they are sinners and then acknowledge their need for a Saviour. That is the only way anyone can be saved. Jesus then uses all the Samaritans who the woman at the well in Sychar sent to Him also as an object lesson to teach His Disciples the urgency of harvesting souls for the Eternal Kingdom, which again extends to every professing Christian. Also, the record of Jesus healing the nobleman's son next in Ch 4, should encourage every professing Christian in their Prayer life - they do not have to personally be present with the one for whom they are Praying or any subject of their Prayers, for God to answer their Prayers. It is simply a matter of exercising faith in God to do it, and He will - providing they qualify for answered Prayer - regardless of whether they are there or not (CP Jn 4:1-54). See also author's comments on Jn 4 in his book A Question and Answer Study of the New Testament, and all related cross-reference Scriptures and studies referred to therein. See also author's study The Key to Answered Prayer in his book Advanced Studies in the Christian Faith (Volume 3).
In Ch 5 next, Jesus healed a cripple on the Sabbath and the Jewish religious leaders accused Him of breaking the Old Covenant Law of the Sabbath. They determined to kill Him. Their hearts were so hardened toward Jesus and their eyes so blinded by their hatred of Him, they could never recognise Him as their Saviour - the Messiah of God - who in fact instituted the Sabbath in the first place, as an Old Testament type of which He was Himself the New Testament fulfilment. Jesus was the fulfilment of the Old Testament in its entirety. Jesus again declared His Deity, calling God His Father and comparing His work on the Sabbath to what God is doing, all the time. Jesus proclaimed Himself to be the Judge of both the living and the dead, appointed by God. He foretold both the First and the Second Resurrections. Jesus refers to the future Antichrist also in Jn 5 - the Jews will accept him as Messiah, but not Jesus (CP Jn 5:1-47). See also author's comments on Jn 5 in his book A Question and Answer Study of the New Testament and all related cross-reference Scriptures and studies referred to therein, and also his study Bible Typology in his book Advanced Studies in the Christian Faith (Volume 1).
In Ch 6 of John's Gospel Jesus contrasts Himself with the Manna - the bread which the Jews' forefathers ate during their sojourn in the wilderness. It was not the True Bread from Heaven but the Old Testament 'type' of which Jesus was the New Testament fulfilment. He was the True Bread from Heaven- the Bread of Life. This was another public pronouncement by Jesus of His Deity and caused many who followed him to walk away. They could not handle this truth - it offended them. It should be noted here that two erroneous teachings being perpetuated in the professing Church have their roots in Jn 6. One is that God acts Sovereignly in the matter of salvation - it is not a choice of the individual. God predestinates who will and who will not be saved. This system of Theology is called Calvinism in the contemporary Church. The other is that Jesus' reference to eating His Body and drinking His Blood is to be taken literally, not figuratively. The so-called Mass, celebrated in the Catholic Church for centuries is centred around this teaching (CP Jn 6:1-71). See also author's comments on Jn 6 in his book A Question and Answer Study of the New Testament, and all related cross-reference Scriptures and studies referred to therein.
After the events of Ch 6 Jesus could no longer preach in Judea because the Jewish religious leaders planned to kill Him. Ch 7 teaches that even Jesus' own family members did not believe He was the Messiah. They only believed that He was when they saw Him after His Resurrection. Jesus eventually went to Judea while the Jews were celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles and taught in the Temple. He foretold the infilling of the Holy Spirit for those who had faith to believe in Him and many of those present became Believers which caused dissention among them. Nicodenus was the only Jewish religions leader who believed that Jesus was truly from God. Jesus' invitation for all who thirst to come to Him is a universal call, clearly refuting the claim by some that God predestinates who will, and who will not be saved. In Ch 8 the Jewish religious leaders brought a woman caught in adultery to Jesus to be judged. Their purpose was to trap Jesus so they could bring some charge against Him, but He forestalled their scheme and they had to let the woman go. Jesus was not condoning sin here. He simply stated that the penalty of the Law - stoning the woman to death - had to be carried out, but only by those who were without sin themselves. This teaches that before anyone can judge someone else they must be pure themselves. Jesus again proclaims His Deity, declaring that He existed even before Abraham. The Jews accused Him of being demon possessed. But no one dared to arrest Him; His time had not yet come (CP Jn 7:1-8-59). See also author's comments on Jn 7-8 in his book A Question and Answer Study of the New Testament, and all related cross-reference Scriptures and studies referred to therein.