A Study on the Fourth Gospel of the New Testament
The Gospel According to John
Introduction
The purpose of this study is to dig deeper in the one of the most beautiful books in the New Testament – The book of John. But before we try to give a verse by verse exposition of the book, it will be necessary to consider John’s Gospel as a whole, try to discover its scope, its central theme, and its relation to the other three Gospels. Our aim is to open up the Scriptures in such a way that we will be able to enter into the meaning of what God has recorded for our learning in this part of His Holy Word.
The four gospels deal with the earthly life of the Saviour, but each one presents Him in an entirely different character.
Matthew portrays the Lord Jesus as the Son of David, the Heir of Israel’s throne, the King of the Jews; and everything in his gospel contributes to this central theme.
In Mark, Christ is seen as the Servant of Jehovah, the Perfect Workman of God, and everything is this second gospel brings out the characteristics of His service and the manner in which He served.
Luke treats the humanity of the Saviour, and presents Him as the perfect Man, contrasting Him from the sinful sons of men.
In the fourth gospel, John views Him as the Heavenly One, come down to earth, the eternal Son of the Father made flesh and dwelling among men, and from start to finish this is the one dominant truth which is steadily held in view.
As we turn to the fourth gospel we come to entirely different ground from that which is traversed in the other three. Yes, the period of time covered by it is the same as in Matthew, Mark and Luke, some of the incidents treated of by the “Synoptics” come before us here, and He who has occupied the central position in the narratives of the first three evangelists is the same One that is made pre-eminent by John, but otherwise, everything is entirely new. The viewpoint of this fourth gospel is more elevated than that of the others, its contents bring into view spiritual relationships rather than human ties, and, higher glories are revealed as touching the peerless Person of the Saviour. In each of the first three gospels, Christ is viewed in human relationships, but not so in John. The purpose of this fourth gospel is to show that the One who was born in a manger and afterward died on the cross had higher glories than those of King, that He who humbled Himself to take the Servant place was previously, “equal with God,” that the One who became the Son of Man was none other than, and ever remains, the Only Begotten of the Father.
Each book of the Bible has a prominent and dominant theme which is peculiar to itself. The theme of John’s gospel is the Deity of the Saviour. Here the Divinity of Christ is presented to our view. That which is outstanding in this fourth gospel is the Divine Sonship of the Lord Jesus Christ. In this book we are shown that the One who was heralded by the angels to the Bethlehem shepherds, who walked this earth for thirty-three years, who was crucified at Calvary who rose in triumph from the grave, and who forty days later ascended to heaven, was none other than the Lord of Glory.
In keeping with the special theme of this fourth gospel, it is here we have the full unveiling of Christ’s Divine glories.
Before we take up John’s gospel in detail, a few words should be said concerning the scope of the fourth gospel. It is obvious that this is quite different from the other three. There, Christ is seen in human relationships, and as connected with an earthly people; but here He is viewed in a Divine relationship, and as connected with a heavenly people – The Son of God together with the children of God. In the first three gospels, Christ is seen connected with the Jews, proclaiming the Messianic kingdom, but his proclamation ceased as soon they rejected Him. However, in John’s gospel, the rejection is anticipated from the beginning. In the very first chapter, we are told, “He came unto his own, and his own received him not.” Again, in John’s gospel the Saviour is displayed as the Son of God, and as such He can be known only by believers. The jew’s claim upon Christ was purely a fleshly one (arising from the fact that He was “the Son of David”), whereas believers are related to the Son of God by spiritual union.
To prepare ourselves for the next lesson, here are seven questions on the passage. I sincerely urge you to study first thirteen verses of John 1, and to concentrate upon the points raised by our questions.
1. What “beginning” is referred to in John 1:1?
2. How may I obtain a better, deeper, fuller knowledge of God Himself? By studying nature? By prayer? By studying Scripture? Or—how?
3. Why is the Lord Jesus here termed “The Word?” What is the exact force and significance of this title?
4. What is the meaning of John 1:4—”The Life was the Light of men?”
5. The fact that the Saviour is termed “the Light” in John 1:7, teaches us what?
6. What does John 1:12 teach concerning what a sinner must do to be saved?
7. What is the exact meaning of each clause in John 1:13?
Pray over and meditate upon each of these questions, and above all “Search the Scriptures” to find God’s answers. Answers to these questions will be found in the next chapter, in the course of our exposition of John 1:1-13.
NOTE: You can also go to the website dedicated just for the study of the book of John. Click on this link and be blessed http://nt-john.ning.com