John's
Gospel
An Outline
Bible books contents
Author
Purpose
Chapter
outline Some
themes
1.
Author
The writer is identified as the disciple who
leaned on Jesus
and
the one whom Jesus loved, but not specifically named.
The
gospel has unique references
:
a. Jn.11
Lazarus. He is not
mentioned in the synoptics, this we
presume is
because Lazarus was alive when the synoptics were written, so thus
protecting him, so this implies a late date for John's
gospel.
b.
Intimate knowledge
of both the trial (
Jn. 18:15)
and of the crucifixion (Jn.19:25-27)
of Jesus
c. The
counting of the
fish in Jn.21:11.
This
implies the
writer was a fisherman since this was the common practice of the day..
External
sources
point clearly to the
apostle John. People like Irenaeus (c.180 AD), a disciple of Polycarp,
writes that John wrote this fourth gospel, at the end of the
first century.
2.
Purpose
And
many other signs
truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written
in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe
that
Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have
life through his name.
Jn.20:30-31
|
John
tells us his reason
for
writing: that we
may believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and that we may have
eternal
life by so doing. The signs (=indication) which
John mentions
are chosen for that specific purpose.
Number
|
The
Sign
|
Ref.
|
Quote
|
1.
|
Water to Wine
|
2:11
|
His disciples believed on Him
|
2.
|
Nobleman's son healed
|
4:48
4:53
|
Except ye see
miracles ye
will not believe
he ( the nobleman) believed himself.
|
3.
|
Man at Bethesda
|
5:47
|
If ye don't
believe
Moses's words how
shall you believe Jesus's?
|
4.
|
5000 fed
|
6:14
|
Those who saw the miracle
said"
this...is that
prophet...."
|
5.
|
Jesus walking on Water
|
6:16-21
|
The disciples willingly
received Him
|
6.
|
Blind man healed
|
9:38
|
The healed man
said: " I
believe"
|
7
|
Lazarus raised from the dead
|
11:45
|
many of the jews believed on
Jesus
|
8.
|
Draught of fish
|
21:12
|
No one dare ask who
it
was for they all
knew it was the Lord.
|
3.
Outline
a) The prologue
The prologue is somewhat unique, it acts
like the opening of
a
symphony. The main themes of the book are contained in it and they are
developed as John unfolds the word.
Examples.
Prologue ref.
|
Theme
|
Other example refs. in John
|
1:1-2
|
a. Christ's
pre-existence and
Deity
b. Christ's fellowship with the Father
|
Jn.8:58
Jn.17:5
|
1:4
|
Christ the Life
|
Jn.11:25;14:6
|
1:14
|
The Incarnation
|
Jn.6:32-35
|
1:17
|
The law by Moses, but grace
and
truth by Jesus
|
Jn.5:45-47
|
The above is only a sample, the reader is invited to
study this aspect
further!
b) Chapter outline
Jesus the Son Of God
Chapter
|
Verses
|
Content
|
1
|
1-18
|
The prologue
|
|
19-51
|
John the Baptist
and the
calling of
the first
disciples
|
2
|
1-25
|
Sign 1.
Water into Wine
|
3
|
1-36
|
Teaching
on New
Birth
|
4
|
1-45
|
The woman at the
well, teaching
on the
water of life.
|
|
46-54
|
Sign 2.
The Nobleman's son
|
5
|
1-15
|
Sign 3.
The man
at Bethesda
|
|
16-47
|
Teaching
on
those things that
testify of Jesus
|
6
|
1-15
|
Sign 4. The
feeding of the 5000+
|
|
16-21
|
Sign 5. Jesus
walks on the water.
|
|
22-71
|
Teaching
on the bread of life
|
7
|
1-53
|
Teaching on
the coming of
the Spirit
|
8
|
1-11
|
The woman caught
in adultery
|
|
12-59
|
Teaching on
the
light of the world, the
Son making free and Christ's Deity
|
9
|
1-41
|
Sign 6.
The man
born blind healed
|
10
|
1-41
|
Teaching
on the
Good Shepherd
|
11
|
1-57
|
Sign 7.
Lazarus raised from the
dead, and teaching on the resurrection
and the life
|
12
|
1-50
|
The entry into
Jerusalem and teaching
about the corn of wheat.
|
13
|
1-38
|
The washing of the
disciples'
feet
and the last
supper
|
14-16
|
1-31
|
Teaching.
The
coming of
another comforter, the true vine etc.
|
17
|
1-26
|
The 'high
priestly' prayer
of the Lord
Jesus
|
18
|
1-40
|
Jesus arrested and
the
interview
before Pilate
|
19
|
1-42
|
The crucifixion
|
20
|
1-31
|
The Resurrection
|
21
|
1-25
|
Sign 8.
The
draught of fish, teaching following Jesus
|
4.
Some
themes for study
a) The I am s of Jesus
When
Jesus uses 'I am'
it literally
means: I, I am,
ie it
is emphatic, and when
Jesus uses this He is identifying Himself with the God of the
burning bush.
And
God said unto
Moses, I AM THAT I AM:
and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the
children of Israel, I AM
hath sent me unto you.
Ex.3:14
|
Where the same Greek is used in the LXX.
4:25-26
|
The
confession
of Jesus that He is
the Messiah
|
5:42
|
Jesus
has
come in the Father's
name
|
6:35,41,48,51
|
Jesus
being
the bread of Life
|
8:12
|
Jesus
the light
of the world
|
8:23
|
Jesus
from
above
|
8:28
|
Jesus
is the I,
I am He
|
8:58
|
Before
Abraham was Jesus
is the I AM
|
10:7,9
|
Jesus
is the
door of the
sheep
|
10:10
|
Jesus
is come to give Life
|
10:11
|
Jesus
is the
good shepherd
|
11:25
|
Jesus
is
the resurrection and
the life
|
14:6
|
Jesus
is the
Way, Truth
and Life
|
18:5
|
Jesus'
confession on being
arrested
|
14:10-11
|
Jesus
is in
the Father
|
There
are others, and the reader is encouraged to search them out, but
the ones given are the main occurrences.
b) The I will's of Jesus
Again here
is a selection
2:19
|
Talking about
His
own
resurrection
|
6:37
|
He will not cast
out any who
come
to Him
|
6:40,44
|
He will raise up
those that
believe
on Him
|
6:51
|
He will give His
flesh for
the
life of the
world.
|
14:3
|
He will come again
to receive
us
|
14:14
|
Anything we ask in
His name
He will
do it
|
14:16
|
He will ask for
the Comforter
|
14:18
|
He will not leave
us
comfortless
|
15:26
|
He will send the
Comforter
|
|
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