The Book of John

Enclosed are study helps for our study of The Gospel according to John! Please familiarize yourself with the material and keep close by as we study this powerful, enlightening and spiritual book of the Bible I hope the material will be helpful to you, keep with all the other materials from In The Word Bible Study

John's Portraits of Christ Each chapter of the gospel of John contains a picture of some special aspect of the character and work of Christ (Taken from the Thompson Chain Study Bible)

Ch.1 The son of God vs 1-4

Ch.2 The son of man, The Social Christ vs 1-10

Ch.3 The divine teacher vs 2-31

Ch 4 The soul-winner vs 7-29

Ch 5 The Great Physician vs 1-9

Ch 6 The Bread of Life vs 32-58

Ch 7 The Water of Life v 37

Ch 8 The Defender of the Weak vs 3-11

Ch 9 The Light of the World vs 1-39

Ch 10 The Good Shepherd vs 1-16

Ch 11 The Prince of Life vs 11-14

Ch 12 The King vs 12-15

Ch 13 The Servant vs 1-10

Ch 14 The Consoler vs1-3

Ch 15 The True Vine vs 1-16

Ch 16 The Giver of the Holy Spirit vs 1-15

Ch 17 The Great Intercessor vs 1-26

Ch 18 The Model Sufferer v 11

Ch 19 The Uplifted Saviour vs 16-19

Ch 20 The Conqueror of Death vs 1-31

Ch 21 The Restorer of the penitent vs 1-17

Key Statistics in John

Purpose:To prove conclusively that Jesus is the Son of God and that all who believe in him will have eternal life.

Author:John the apostle, son of Zebedee, brother of James, called a “son of thunder”.

To whom written: New Christians and searching non-Christians

Date Written: Probably A. D. 85-90

Setting Written after the destruction of Jerusalem in A. D. and before John's exile to the island of Patmos

Key Verses: “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.” John 20:30-31

Purpose:Clearly stated in 20:30-31, there are three key words. (1) the word signs is used 17 times and is often translated “miracle'. It appears only 28 times in the other gospels. These are teaching signs. (2) The word believe appears 98 times in John alone, and only 29 times in the other gospels combined. Beliefs often results from signs. (3) The word life is used 34 times in John ( and only 13 times in the other gospels). This term is closely related to faith.

John's purpose is fully evangelistic—that his believers may believe (20:30-31). This maybe the reason he records the meeting of Jesus with Nicodemus, who is saved much later; the story of the woman at the well, who was saved on first contact; and the miracle of the man born blind, saved on the second contact. But he also writes for believers, that they may be sanctified. He communicates three things..the promise of the Holy Spirit, the truth that Jesus is the true vine, and simon Peter's denial and restoration.

Key people: Jesus , John the Baptist, the disciples, Mary, Martha, Lazarus, Jesus' mother, Pilate, Mary Magdalene

Key places: Judean countryside, Samaria, Galilee, Bethany, Jerusalem

Special features: Of the eight miracles recorded, six are unique (among the gospels) to John, as is “Upper Room Discourse” (chapters 14-17). Over 90 percent of John is unique to his Gospel-John does not contain a genealogy or any record of Jesus birth, childhood, temptation, transfiguration, parables, ascension, or great commission.

The Gospel of John can be divided into the following chronological parts: the preexistence of Christ (John 1:1-18); His first year of ministry (John 1:19- 4:54); His popularity during the second year ( chap 5); the opposition against Him in the third year of ministry ( John 6: 1-12:11); the passion week ( John 12:12-19:42) and the forty days following His resurrection (chaps 20;21)

Outline

A. Birth and Preparation of Jesus, the Son of God (1:1-2:11)

B. Message and Ministry of Jesus, the Son of God (2:12-12:50)

1. Jesus encounters belief and unbelief from the people
2. Jesus encounters conflict with the religious leaders
3. Jesus encounters crucial events in Jerusalem

100. Death and Resurrection of Jesus, the Son of God ( 13: 1-21:25)
     1.Jesus teaches his disciples
     2. Jesus completes his mission

The Seven “I AM” Statements of Jesus

I am the vine...John 15:1-5

I am the bread of life...John 6:35-48

I am the way, the truth and the life..John 14:6

I am the light of the world..John 8:12: 9: 5, see John 12:35-36, and John 1:4

I am the resurrection and the life...John 11:25

I am the good shepherd...John 10:11-14

I am the gate..John 10:7

In John chapter 8 Jesus makes many more “I am statements”. Here he asserts his divine identity through a series of “I am” statements:

. “I am the light of the world” (8:12)

. “I am not alone” (8:16)

. “I am one who bears witness of Myself, and the Father who sent Me, bears witness of me” (8:18)

. “I am from above” (8:23)

. “I am not of this world” (8:23)

. “I am He [The Christ]” ( 8:24, 28)

. “I Am” (8:58)

Read John 1:12

The word “power” here comes from the Greek..exousia, delegated power. It is the liberty and right of every man to be saved if he wills (Jn 3:16; 6:37; 1 Tim. 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9; Rev. 22: 17)

who believe on his name (v 12, Mat 1:21; Acts 2:21; 3:16; 4:12 . I will be using my blog during the study so check in there from time to time. My blog address is www.healthmatterstorrence.blogspot.com

Let's stay In the Word of God!