JOHN---DEITY DELINEATED
INTRODUCTION
1. A word about John
A. He was a Jew.
B. He was an eyewitness to most of what he relates.
C. He was an apostle.
D. He was the son of Zebedee.
E. He was one of the three most prominent apostles.
F. He wrote three epistles (I, II, III John) and The Revelation.
2. To whom the gospel was written
A. Matthew was written to the Jews.
B. Mark was written to the Romans.
C. Luke was written to the Greeks.
D. John is written to all men.
THE PURPOSE OF THE BOOK
1. To prove “that Jesus is the Son of God”
2. To persuade men to believe in Him as their Savior
THEME OF THE BOOK
1. The deity of Christ is given great prominence. (1:1-3)
2. The deity of Christ in its presentation
A. Through SEVEN miracles (signs) (cf. 3:2)
1) Turning water into wine (2:1-11)
2) Healing the nobleman’s son (4:46-54)
3) Healing the man at Bethesda (5:1-47)
4) Feeding the 5,000 (6:1-14)
5) Walking on the water (6:15-21)
6) Healing the blind (9:1-41)
7) Raising the dead (11:1-57)
B. Through the use of SEVEN names - He reveals His deity by the title “I Am” throughout the book. (cf. Exodus 3:13, 14)
1) I Am the Bread of Life (6:35)
2) I Am the Light of the World (8:12)
3) I Am (8:58)
4) I Am the Good Shepherd (10:11)
5) I Am the Resurrection and the Life (11:25)
6) I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life (14:6)
7) I Am the True Vine (15:1)
C. Through the testimony of SEVEN witnesses (cf. Num. 35:30; Deut. 17:6; Deut. 19:15)
1) John the Baptist - “this is the Son of God” (1:34)
2) Nathanael - “Thou art the Son of God” (1:49)
3) Peter - “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (6:69)
4) Martha - “Thou art the Christ, the Son of God” (11:27)
5) Thomas - “my Lord and my God” (20:28)
6) John - “Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God” (20:31)
7) Christ - “I am the Son of God” (10:36)
D. Through the timelessness ascribed to Christ (1:1-2)
E. Through His part in creation (1:3)
THE “INCARNATION” OF CHRIST (1:14)
1. The word means “in the flesh”.
2. Christ is presented as God taking on the form of a man. (Phil. 2:5-8)
A. Christ did not give up His deity.
B. He was God-Man.
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE BOOK
1. It is a Gospel of the feasts (2:13, 23; 5:1; 6:4; 7:2; 10:22; 11:55, 56)
2. It is a Gospel of testimony
A. Of John the Baptist
B. Of certain other individuals
C. Of Jesus to Himself (“I Am”)
D. Of Jesus’ work (the 7 signs)
E. Of the Scriptures (5:39)
F. Of the Father (1:32, 33)
G. Of the Holy Spirit (16:14)
3. It is a Gospel of belief. The writer states clearly that it is his purpose in writing to lead people to believe in Jesus.
4. It is a spiritual Gospel. “The theme of the Fourth Gospel is the non-historical that makes sense of history, the infinite that makes sense of time, God who makes sense of men and is, therefore, their Savior.” -- Hoskyns
SOME UNIQUE DISCOURSES
1. The New Birth (ch. 3)
2. The Water of Life (ch. 4)
3. The Bread of Life (ch. 6)
4. The Light of the World (ch. 8)
5. The Good Shepherd (ch. 10)
6. The Upper Room (chs. 13-17)
CHRIST’S SEVEN CLAIMS TO DEITY IN CHAPTER 5 (cf. 10:30)
1. Equal in working - “What things soever he (the Father) doeth, these also doeth the Son.” (v. 19)
2. Equal in knowing - “For the Father loveth the Son, and showeth him all things that himself doeth.” (v. 20)
3. Equal in resurrecting - “For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and giveth them life, even so the Son giveth life to whom he will.” (v. 21)
4. Equal in judging - “For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son.” (v. 22)
5. Equal in honor - “That all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father.” (v. 23)
6. Equal in regenerating - “He that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me...is passed from death unto life.” (v. 24, 25)
7. Equal in self-existence - “For as the Father hath life in himself, so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself.” (v. 26)
KEY VERSE: 20:31
KEY WORDS: Life, light, love, believe, witness
OUTLINE OF THE BOOK
I. PROLOGUE (1:1-18)
A. The divine life in its essence (1:1-5)
B. The divine light in its evidence (1:6-13)
C. The divine love in its experience (1:14-18)
II. THE SIGNS OF THE SON OF GOD (1:19-12:50)
A. His deity is declared (1:19-4:54)
1. The testimony of John (1:19-51)
2. The triumphs of Jesus (2:1-4:54)
a. Over life’s sudden disappointments (2:1-12) - the wine of the wedding
b. Over life’s secular debasements (2:13-25) - the traffic in the temple
c. Over life’s spiritual deceptions (3:1-21) - the night with Nicodemus
d. Over life’s saddening discouragements (3:22-36) - the Jews who went to John
e. Over life’s sordid defilements (4:1-42) - the woman at the well
f. Over life’s sorrowful disablements (4:43-54) - the faith of a father
B. His deity disputed (5:1-10:42)
1. The impact of His life (5:1-6:71)
a. In urban Jerusalem (5:1-47)
b. In rural Galilee (6:1-71)
2. The implications of His life (7:1-10:42)
a. As He expounds the Word of God (7:1-53)
b. As He exposes the wickedness of men (8:1-9:41)
c. As He expresses the way of life (10:1-42)
C. His deity disowned (11:1-12:50)
1. Some examples of His rejection (11:1-12:36)
2. Some explanations for His rejection (12:37-50)
III. THE SECRETS OF THE SON OF GOD (chs. 13-17)
A. The talk in the upper room (chs. 13-14)
B. The walk on the Gethsemane road (chs. 15-17)
IV. THE SORROWS OF THE SON OF GOD (chs. 18-20)
A. He is falsely condemned (18:1-19:15)
B. He is formally crucified (19:16-42)
C. He is fully conqueror (20)
V. EPILOGUE (ch. 21)
A. Dynamic life (vs. 1-14)
B. Determined love (vs. 15-17)
C. Discerning light (vs. 18-25)
--Exploring the Scriptures;
John Phillips