John #43

John’s Gospel stands apart from the other three. It is built around a series of selected miraculous “signs” and extended theological discourses, and it states its purpose plainly: that readers may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God (John 20:31).

Read John in the King James Version →

Author and Date

Tradition attributes the Gospel to John the apostle, son of Zebedee, who is often identified with “the disciple whom Jesus loved” (John 21:20-24), and places its writing at Ephesus late in his life. Many scholars date it c. AD 80-100. Others propose that it emerged from a community of John’s followers, or that an editor shaped the final text; authorship remains discussed.

Background and Audience

John was written so that readers, whether Jewish, Gentile, or already believing, might trust in Jesus and have life in his name (John 20:31). It includes many episodes not found in the other Gospels, such as the wedding at Cana and the raising of Lazarus, and explains Jewish festivals and customs for readers who may not know them.

Outline

• John 1:1-18: Prologue: the eternal Word who became flesh
• John 1:19-4:54: Early witnesses and encounters: John the Baptist, the first disciples, Cana, Nicodemus, and the Samaritan woman
• Chapters 5-10: Signs and growing conflict at the festivals, with the “I am” teaching on bread, light, and the shepherd
• Chapters 11-12: The raising of Lazarus and the approach to Jerusalem
• Chapters 13-17: The upper room: the foot-washing, the farewell discourse, and Jesus’ prayer
• Chapters 18-19: Arrest, trial, and crucifixion
• Chapters 20-21: The resurrection appearances, the statement of purpose, and the epilogue in Galilee

Key Themes

• Belief and life: Faith in Jesus brings eternal life.
• Jesus’ divine identity: The Word who was with God and was God, revealed through signs and “I am” statements.
• Light and darkness: Jesus brings light into a world that both receives and rejects him.
• Love and abiding: Disciples are to love one another and remain in him.

Key Verses

• John 1:1 — the Word was in the beginning, was with God, and was God
• John 1:14 — the Word became flesh and lived among people
• John 3:16 — God’s love and the gift of his Son, so that whoever believes may have eternal life
• John 14:6 — Jesus calls himself the way, the truth, and the life
• John 20:28 — Thomas’s confession of the risen Jesus as his Lord and God
• John 20:31 — the stated purpose: that readers believe and have life

How It Fits the Bible

John is the fourth Gospel, after Luke and before Acts. Its opening echoes the first words of Genesis, presenting Jesus as the Word through whom all things were made. It differs in style and content from the other three Gospels.