GOSPEL OF JOHN

Who Wrote This Book:  There are those who believe John was written by more than one person, but others believe it was written by John as an eyewitness to the love and power displayed in the miracles of Jesus; John gives us an up-close and personal look at Christ's identity.  He shows us that Jesus, though fully God, came in the flesh to distinctly and accurately reveal God, and that Christ is the source of eternal life to all who believe in Him.

John, the son of Zebedee, is the author of this Gospel.  He and his brother James are called the "Sons of Thunder," most likely for their lively, zealous personalities.  Of the 12 disciples, John, James, and Peter formed the inner circle, chosen by Jesus to become his closest companions.   They had the exclusive privilege of witnessing and testifying about events in the life of Jesus that no others were invited to see.  John was present at the resurrection of Jarius' daughter (Luke 8:51), the transfiguration of Jesus (Mark 9:2), and in Gethsemane (Mark 14:33).  John is also the only recorded disciple to be present at the crucifixion of Jesus.

Date of Writing:   Circa 85-90 A.D.

It was probably written in the 90s of the first century.  The Gospel according to John is quite different in character from the three synoptic gospels.  It is highly literary and symbolic.  It does not follow the same order or reproduce the same stories as the synoptic gospels.  To a much greater degree, it is the product of a developed theological reflection and grows out of a different circle and tradition.

Written To:  The Gospel of John was written primarily to new believers and seekers.  John refers to himself as "the disciple whom Jesus loved."  He writes with simplicity in the original Greek, which makes this Gospel a good book for new believers.

Theme of the Book of John:  The Gospel of John begins with a magnificent prologue, which states many of the major themes and motifs of the gospel, much as an overture does for a musical work. The prologue proclaims Jesus as the preexistent and incarnate Word of God who has revealed the Father to us. The rest of the first chapter forms the introduction to the gospel proper and consists of the Baptist's testimony about Jesus (there is no baptism of Jesus in this gospel--John simply points him out as the Lamb of God), followed by stories of the call of the first disciples, in which various titles predicated of Jesus in the early church are presented.

Key Verses:

John 1:14
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.  We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (NIV)

John 7:38-38

 On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.  Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”

John 20:30-31
Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book.  But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (NIV)