Jesus Christ In The Writings Of John
INTRODUCTION
The purpose for writing the fourth Gospel is clearly stated in John 20:30, 31. John had in mind both the person who needed to accept Jesus as Lord and Christ and the believer whose faith needed strengthening.
The fourth Gospel begins with a prologue about the Logos, which emphasizes the divine nature of Jesus and makes clear His role in the creation of all things. It then teaches that this same Logos, none other than Jesus, “became flesh and dwelt among us” (1:14). He lived and worked with real people in the first century A.D. John wants his readers to understand that the death of Jesus was a real event, which took place in a real historical setting. Furthermore, he insists that event had eyewitnesses, as did the fact of His resurrection (19:35; 20:1-8, 11-29; 21:1-25). This story is not historical fiction.
The Logos (the Word)1 discussed above is only one of the many ways Jesus is described in this Gospel. Note below some of the ways:
The monogenes (unique/special) Son of God (3:16)
The Son (3:17, 36; 5:27-29)
Son of Man (1:51)
Teacher from God (3:2)
Prophet (4:19; 6:14; 9:19)
Messiah/Christ (1:41; 4:25, 29)
King of Israel/Jews (1:49; 19:19)
Holy One of God (6:69)
Lamb of God (1:29, 36)
Paraclete (14:16)
Rabbouni/Rabboni (20:16)
Rabbi (1:38, 49; 3:2, 26)
The Lord/My Lord and my God/God (1:1; 20:18; 21:7).
Throughout John’s magnificent work his desire is to emphasize the genuine humanity of Jesus and at the same time, as stated earlier, to make sure that the reader has understood that He is the Christ, the Son of God.2
Brief Analysis of John’s Gospel
The word “Father” occurs 140 times in this Gospel. The name “Jesus” is found in John 242 times, 99 times more than in Matthew, and 158 times more than in Luke, showing how closely John keeps to his object of writing about the person of Jesus. He also uses other names of Jesus, as “the Son” 19 times, “the Son of God” 9 times, “the Son of man” 13 times, “the Life” 22 times, and “the Light” 25 times, besides the names “the Holy One of God,” “the Lamb of God,” and “the King of Israel,” 333 times in all.
John enumerates the claims of Jesus as follows:
He claims to be a perfect teacher;
To set a perfect example, to be the model Man for the race;
To be a perfectly sinless being;
That all men should love and obey Him;
To work miracles as no other man ever did;
That in Him the prophecies of the Old Testament were fulfilled;
That He Himself would rise from the dead;
To be the final Judge of the world; to which should be added,
The Word of God; and
The Only begotten Son of God.
The method of proof by witnesses and signs
The witness is the testimony of competent persons who told what they knew – the Father, Jesus, John the Baptist, the apostles, who were close to Jesus, and others who saw, heard, and experienced. The word “witness” is found 76 times in this Gospel; and the two Greek words meaning “to know” are used 131 times – oida, “to know,” 79 times, and ginosko, “to know thoroughly,” 52 times.
The signs were miracles; acts of supernatural power worthy of the Son of God; Credentials of His Divine Commission; Symbols and Emblems and Object-lessons of the Great Truths He taught.
John, having before him the other Gospels, selects from the many things he had seen and heard from Jesus during years of most intimate communion with Him, those signs and testimonies and teachings which best revealed the nature of Jesus and His revelation of the Father.
Witness of John and others (John 1:6-9, 15-51).
a. Sign. The wedding in Cana (John 2:1-11).
Witness of Jesus in the temple (John 2:12-25).
Witness to Nicodemus. The new birth (John 3:1-21).
Witness of John. Second witness (John 3:22-36).
Witness to the Samaritans (John 4:1-42).
b. Sign. The nobleman’s son. Cana and Capernaum (John 4:43-54).
c. Sign. At Pool of Bethesda – and
Witness arising therefrom (John 5:1-47).
d. Sign. Multiplication of loaves and fishes, and
Witness at the Feast of Tabernacles. Life and light (John 7:1-8:59).
e. Sign. Sight to the blind (John 9:1-41).
Witness to resurrection and life (John 11:1-57).
Witness. Triumphal entry to many in the temple (John 12:1-50).
Witness of Jesus to His own disciples. Last supper and discourses (John 13-17).
Witness of the crucifixion – infinite love and forgiveness (John 18, 19).
Witness of the resurrection. Immortal life. The ever-lasting Savior (John 20, 21).
The Apostle John
The two sources of knowledge concerning him are: The New Testament and traditions.
His family descent
His father’s name was Zebedee, whose business was fishing in the Sea of Galilee. He seems to have been in comfortable circumstances, for he owned a boat and employed men to assist him (Matt. 4:21; Mark 1:20), and Salome (“Peace”), his wife, the mother of John, was one of the band of women who ministered to Jesus (Mark 15:40; 16:1).
His birthplace and early home was Bethsaida (House of Fish, Fishtown), on the northern shore of the lake, near where the Jordan flows into it; or perhaps Capernaum. Business led them often to be at Capernaum, the populous commercial emporium (Luke 5:10; John 1:44).
Date of birth
The exact date is unknown, but he is generally regarded as younger than Jesus. He was probably born between A.D. 1 and 5.
Period of his life
From early church fathers, who lived not far from his time, such as Irenaeus and Jerome, we learn that he lived to be 90 or 95 years old, and died in the early part of the reign of the Emperor Trajan, who began his reign A.D. 98. So that John’s life extended over nearly the whole of the first century of the Christian era. His personal growth in love is shown in the tradition that in his feeble old age (in his nineties) at Ephesus he still tried to preach, sitting in a chair, and repeating over and over, “Children, love one another.”
The events of his life come before us in some detail as we study selected lessons from his writings about Jesus Christ. He had an elder brother, James, who was the first Christian martyr. During his early manhood he was a Galilean fisherman with his father. He was one of the first disciples of Jesus. He was one of the most prominent of the disciples during Christ’s life, and during the early records of the church in the Acts. He was on friendly terms with the high priest (John 18:15). The latter part of the Acts concerns chiefly the work of Paul, but John was also doing his unrecorded work. As mentioned above, tradition fixes on Ephesus as the scene of his later ministrations, and perhaps the seven churches of Asia (in the vicinity of Ephesus) enjoyed his care (Rev. 1:11).
Writings
Five books of the New Testament are ascribed to John: The fourth Gospel, three Epistles, and the Book of Revelation.
Character It has become a conventional rule in sacred art that because John speaks more about Love than the other apostles, and was especially beloved by his Master, he must have had a soft, sentimental countenance, without the winkles of age, betraying no conflict. Such a fancy is strangely contradicted by facts.
Jesus named John and his brother James, Boanerges (sons of thunder), because according to Muir in Hastings’ Bible Dictionary, the name is “both descriptive and prophetic of the union of the passionate and vehement with the gentle and loving in their character, and the fact that once and again tempests of long-restrained emotion would burst forth out of the deep stillness of their strong, reserved natures.”
He had a peculiarly tender, gentle, loving, and receptive nature, and was also ardent, bold, and impetuous. He blended the gentleness of the dove with the sublime force and vision of the eagle.
The lesson of John’s character lies in the change brought about by Jesus, expressing and controlling the strong forces of his soul, gradually changing them into His image from glory to glory, “the glory of the only begotten Son of God.” All tempestuousness, threats, ambitions, and narrowness are consumed in the perfectness of love.
The Synoptic Gospels & John
A contrast between John and the other three Gospels (called synoptic; i.e., those which have a “general view” of the life of Christ) is plain even at first glance.
The synoptic Gospels3 seem to have been the sifted and perfected record of the preaching of the apostles. They told the story over and over again as they preached. It was written at various times by several different people as we learn from Luke. This statement of facts was the great need of the early church, till the facts became a part of the hearts, memories and lives of the early Christians.
In time there came another need, both among the Jews and those permeated with Greek learning. Questions arose, errors would be promulgated, and difficulties would arise. For instance, the Jews, as well as Christians, were tenacious of the unity of God, but the question immediately arose how it was possible for Jesus to be the divine Son of God, and yet God be but one.
John states the fact so that all can see the truth. He proclaims the same truths taught by the other Gospels, but in different language for a different people. He who lived nearest the heart of Jesus recalls many of His teachings not reported by the others. John does not at this late day write a new Gospel, or new words of Jesus, but writes down what he had been preaching for more than half a century. It was this fact that made the wonderful perfection of the style and language of this Gospel, as well as its accuracy.
Apostle of Love
In Gethsemane, after Jesus had requested Peter, James, and John to be stationed at a certain spot to “wait ... and watch ...” (Matt. 26:38), all three watchmen fell asleep – not only once, but three times (Matt. 26:40-45). Then, when the mob had seized Jesus, John was among Jesus' disciples who “deserted and ran away” (Matt. 26:56).
But by the next afternoon, John had recovered and was the only one of the apostles who stood by Jesus’ cross (John 19:26), showing more love for Jesus than all the other apostles. In fact, John’s love was so great that “from that hour” he considered Mary as his own mother.
John’s love was like a deep and broad river, which flows with tranquil blessings till it meets some great obstacle of wrong. Then it rises into a mighty, impetuous torrent; bursting forth into intense moral indignation, sweeping away anything seeking to destroy the person and cause of his beloved Jesus. It is John’s passionate affection that made him so indignant at the Samaritans who refused to receive Jesus, that he would have called down heaven’s lightening to blast them (Luke 9:54), that, in large part, made him ambitious to sit close to Jesus in His kingdom (Mark 10:27), and made him so courageous in the high priest's palace, while Peter the bold was denying his Lord.
In five New Testament books the Holy Spirit4 inspired John to write the word “love” (agape), one hundred and one times. It is no wonder that John is called “the apostle of love.” Love is the greatest word in existence (1 Cor. 13:13; 1 John 4:8, 16); the most difficult, most divine, most manly and virile.
Conclusion
Jesus Christ is central to the Christian message of hope and salvation.5 This is evident from the profound preamble of the Gospel to the climactic conclusion of the Revelation.
Jesus Christ takes center stage and remains there. Jesus came from glory to grime, from heaven to hell, and at last returned from the grave to glory. Why? Because He loves us so! He bore it all that we might live. Hopefully, these lessons will lead us to see Jesus as the Alpha and Omega, the Originator and Sustainer, the Message and the Messenger, the Savior, the Almighty King, the Judge. Above all, He is our hope and our salvation.
Jesus takes us very seriously. A serious study of Jesus Christ in the writings of the apostle John will help us take Him more seriously – into the very center of our hearts. Jesus Christ is sufficient for our every need, and through faith in His faith6 we have the promise of eternal life in the light of His glorious presence. May we bask in the tenderness of His care, His message from the Father,7 His exemplary living from day to day, His marvelous deeds, His commitment to our eternal welfare, His unparalleled sacrifice, and wondrous truths, we will come to know that without Him as our helmsman we are like a drifting ship on a stormy sea; with Him as our pilot we can pass through the troubled waters and enter into the haven of rest.
Jesus Christ in the Writings of John is a companion series to The Life of Christ in the Synoptic Gospels and is a brief walk through the writings of the Apostle John – the Gospel of John, 1 John, and Revelation – as they proclaim Christ.
