Book introductions contain charts, maps and timelines that are best seen on the scanned pages: p. 1745, p. 1746, p. 1747.
page 1745
KEY PLACES IN JOHN
🖼 Map, chart or picture (see the original page image) — text in this graphic: peeakous i legion. of Ten Jo owns) : auasbes Bethphage* Bethany)
he broken lines (—-—-) indicate modern boundaries.
John’s story begins as John the Baptist
ministers near Bethany east of the
Jordan (1:28ff). Jesus also begins his
ministry, talking to some of the men
who would later become his 12 disci-
ples. Jesus’ ministry in Galilee began
with a visit to a wedding in Cana (2:1ff),
Then he went to Capernaum, which
became his new home (2:12). He
journeyed to Jerusalem for the special
festivals (2:13) and there met with
Nicodemus, a religious leader (3:1ff).
When Jesus left Judea, he traveled
through Samaria and ministered to the
Samaritans (4:1ff). Jesus did miracles
in Galilee (4:46ff) and in Judea and
Jerusalem (5:1ff). We follow him as
he fed 5,000 near Bethsaida beside the
Sea of Gatilee (Sea of Tiberias) (6:1ff).
walked on the water to his frightened
disciples (6:16ff}, preached through
Galilee (7:1), returned to Jerusalem
{7:2ff), preached beyond the Jordan
in Perea (10:40), raised Lazarus from
the dead in Bethany (11:1ff), and finally
entered Jerusalem for the last time to
celebrate the Passover with his disciples
and give them key teachings about
what was to come and how they should
act. His last hours before his crucifixion
were spent in the city (13:1ff), ina
grove of olive trees (the Garden of Geth-
semane) (18:1ff), and finally in various
buildings in Jerusalem during his trial
(18:12ff}. He would be crucified, but he
would rise again as he had promised.
page 1746
Herod
the Great
begins
to rule
37 B.C.
VITAL STATISTICS
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”
ORIGINAL AUDIENCE:
New Christians and searching
non-Christians
DATE WRITTEN:
Probably A.D. 85-90
SETTING:
Written after the destruction of
Jerusalem in A.D. 70 and before
John’s exile to the island of Patmos
KEY VERSES:
“The disciples saw Jesus do many
other miraculous signs in addition
to the ones recorded in this book.
But these are written so that you
may continue to believe that Jesus
is the Messiah, the Son of God, and
that by believing in him you will
have life by the power of his name”
(20:30, 31).
KEY PEOPLE:
Jesus, John the Baptist, the disci-
ples, 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 the “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, trans-
figuration, appointment of the
disciples, nor any account of Jesus
parables, ascension, or great com-
mission.
,
Jesus
is born
6/5 B.C.
Escape
to Egypt
5/4 B.C.
Herod
the Great
dies
4BC.
Return
to
Nazareth
4/3 B.C.
Judea
becomes
a Roman
province
ADE I
HE SPOKE, and galaxies whirled into place,
stars burned the heavens, and planets began
orbiting their suns—words of awesome, un-
limited, unleashed power. He spoke again,
and the waters and lands were filled with
plants and creatures, running, swimming,
growing, and multiplying—words of animat-
ing, breathing, pulsing life. Again he spoke,
and man and woman were formed, thinking,
speaking, and loving—words of personal and creative glory. Eternal, infinite, unlimited—he was, is, and always will be the Maker and LORD of all that exists. And then he came in the flesh to a speck in the universe cailed planet Earth. The mighty Creator became a part of the creation, limited by time and space and susceptible to aging, sickness, and death. But love propelled him, and so he came to rescue and save those who were lost and to give them the gift of eternity. He is the Word; he is Jesus, the Messiah. It is this truth that the apostle John brings to us in this book. John’s Gospel is not a life of Christ; itis a powerful argument for the incarnation, a conclusive demonstration that Jesus was, and is, the very heaven-sent Son of God and the only source of eternal life. John discloses Jesus’ identity with his very first words, “In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God” (1:1, 2); and the rest of the book continues the theme. John, the eyewitness, chose eight of Jesus’ miracles (or miraculous signs, as he calls them) to reveal his divine/ human nature and his life-giving mission. These signs are (1) turning water to wine (2:1-11), (2) healing the official’s son (4:46—-54), (3) healing the lame man at the pool of Bethesda (5:1—9), (4) feeding the 5,000 with just a few loaves and fish (6:1-14), (5) walking on the water (6:15-21), (6) restoring sight to the blind man (9:1-41), (7) raising Lazarus from the dead (11:1-44), and, after the Resurrection, (8) giving the disciples an overwhelming catch of fish (21:1-14). In every chapter Jesus’ deity is revealed. And Jesus’ true identity is underscored through the titles he is given—the Word, the only Son, Lamb of God, Son of God, true bread, life, resurrection, vine. And the formula is “lam.” When Jesus uses this phrase, he affirms his preexistence and eternal deity. Jesus says, / am the bread of life (6:35);! am the light of the world (8:12; 9:5); / am the gate (10:7); / am the good shepherd (10:11, 14); /amthe resurrection and the life (11:25); / am the way, the truth, and the life (14:6); and / am the true vine (15:1). The greatest sign, of course, is the Resurrection, and John provides a Stirring eyewitness account of finding the empty tomb. Then he records various post-Resurrection appearances by Jesus. John, the devoted follower of Christ, has given us a personal and powerful look at Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God. As you read his story, commit yourself to believe in and follow him.
page 1747
Tiberius
Caesar
becomes
emperor
14
Pontius
Pilate
appointed
governor
26
Jesus
begins his
ministry
26/27
Jesus
and
Nicodemus
27
Jesus
chooses
twelve
disciples
28
Jesus
feeds
5,000
29
Jesus is
crucified,
rises again,
and ascends
30
THE BLUEPRINT
A. BIRTH AND PREPARATION OF JESUS,
THE SON OF GOD
(1:12:12)
B. MESSAGE AND MINISTRY OF JESUS,
THE SON OF GOD (2:13—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
C. DEATH AND RESURRECTION
OF JESUS, THE SON OF GOD
(13:1—21:25)
1. Jesus teaches his disciples
2. Jesus completes his mission
John makes it clear that Jesus is not just a man; he is the eternal Son of God. He is the flight of the world because he offers this gift of eternal life to all people. How blind and foolish to call Jesus nothing more than an unusually good man or moral teacher. Yet we sometimes act as if this were true when we casually toss around his words and go about living our own way. If Jesus is the eternal Son of God, we should pay attention to his divine identity and life-giving message. Jesus meets with individuals, preaches to great crowds, trains his disciples, and debates with the religious jeaders. The message that he is the Son of God receives a mixed reaction. Some worship him, some are puzzled, some shrink back, and some move to silence him. We see the same varied reactions today. Times have changed, but people’s hearts remain hard. May we see ourselves in these encounters Jesus had with people, and may our response be to worship and follow him.
Jesus carefully instructed the disciples how to continue to believe even after his death, yet they could not take it in. After he died and the first reports came back that Jesus was alive, the disciples could not believe it. Thomas is especially remembered as one who refused to believe even when he heard the eyewitness accounts from other disciples. May we not be like Thomas, demanding a physical face-to-face encounter, but may we accept the eyewitness testimony of the disciples that John has recorded in this Gospel.
MEGATHEMES
THEME
desus Christ,
Son of God
Eternal Life
Belief
Holy Spirit
Resurrection
EXPLANATION
John shows us that Jesus is unique as God's special
Son, yet he is fully God. Because he is fully God, Jesus
is able to reveal God to us clearly and accurately.
Because Jesus is God, he lives forever. Before the world
began, he lived with God, and he will reign forever with
him. {n John we see Jesus revealed in power and mag-
nificence even before his resurrection.
John records eight specific signs, or miracles, that show
the nature of Jesus’ power and Jove. We see his power
over everything created, and we see his love of all
people. These signs encourage us to believe in him.
Jesus taught his disciples that the Holy Spirit would
come after he ascended from earth. The Holy Spirit
would then indwell, guide, counsel, and comfort those
who follow Jesus. Through the Holy Spirit, Christ's
presence and power are multiplied in all who believe.
On the third day after he died, Jesus rose from the
dead. This was verified by his disciples and many eye-
witnesses. This reality changed the disciples from fright-
ened deserters to dynamic leaders in the new church.
This fact is the foundation of the Christian faith.
IMPORTANCE
Because Jesus is God’s Son, we can perfectly
trust what he says. By trusting him, we can gain
an open mind to understand God’s message
and fulfill his purpose in our lives.
Jesus offers eternal life to us. We are invited to
begin tiving in a personal, eternal relationship
with him now. Although we must grow old and
die, by trusting him we can have a new life that
lasts forever.
Believing is active, living, and continuous trust
in Jesus as God. When we believe in his life, his
words, his death, and his resurrection, we are
cleansed from sin and receive power to follow
him. But we must respond to him by believing.
Through God's Holy Spirit, we are drawn to him
in faith. We must know the Holy Spirit to under-
stand all Jesus taught. We can experience Jesus’
Jove and guidance as we allow the Holy Spirit to
do his work in us.
We can be changed as the disciples were and
have confidence that our bodies will one day be
raised to live with Christ forever. The same power
that raised Christ to life can give us the ability to
follow Christ each day.
