Overview of the Gospels (cont'd)

IV. John

Author – John was a disciple of Jesus. He, along with his brother James and Peter, were closest to Jesus. They were present for all his teachings and every miracle.
When – Written about 80 A.D.
Outline:
-Baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist and calling of first disciples (chapter 1)
-Ministry of Jesus (chapters 2-17)
-Death and Resurrection (chapters 18-21)

Key verse: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (John3:16-17)

Interesting facts – John was written differently from the other Gospels. John took a more thematic than biographical approach in writing his gospel. Read John chapter 1. Theme of John’s Gospel – eternal salvation comes through Jesus alone. Examples – Nicodemus (John chapter 3), the Samaritan woman (John chapter 4), the blind man (John chapter 9.)

In John, Jesus says the following:

John 6:35 - Then Jesus declared, I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.

John 8:12 - When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.

John 10:7, 9 - Therefore Jesus said again, I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep … I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture.

John 10:11 - I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

John 11:25 - Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies.

John 14:6 - Jesus answered, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

John 15:5 - I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

The words “I am” should sound familiar. They echo what God said to Moses in the book of Exodus when Moses asked God what he should say to the people with they ask Moses who sent him.

Moses said to God, Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, The God of your fathers has sent me to you, and they ask me, What is his name? Then what shall I tell them? God said to Moses, I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you. (Exodus 3:13-14)

God then told Moses to tell the people that He will save them from slavery and that He would do so through His servant Moses. A millennia later, God sent Jesus to earth to tell the people that He will save them from slavery to sin and death and that He would do so through His Son Jesus.