Christianity
Christian belief is largely based on the
New Testament, a collection of 27 books
composed in the first century AD.
These books provide an account of the
teachings of Jesus of Nazareth and his
immediate disciples.
New Testament
• The Gospels: the first four books of the New
Testament. They provide an account of the life of
Jesus of Nazareth.
• The Book of Acts: Chronicles the early spread of
Christianity and the establishment of the
Christian church.
• The Epistles: Letters attributed to the various
Apostles and directed to particular individuals or
various churches.
• Prophecy: The Book of Revelation
The Gospel according to John
Introduction
• Date of Composition: Circa 90 AD
Nearly
Earliestcomplete
fragments
version
of theoftext:
the text:
middle
early second
to latecentury
second AD
century
• Language: Koine Greek (possible early
Aramaic versions of portions of the text)
• Authorship: “the disciple whom Jesus loved,”
traditionally regarded as John the Apostle, one
of the original twelve disciples.
• Purpose: “These things are written that you
may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah,
the Son of God, and through this belief, you
may have life in his name.” John 20:31
Relation to Other Three Gospels
The gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke
present very similar narratives of the life of
Jesus. They are called the “synoptic” gospels.
Gospel of John presents different content
and a different kind of narrative of the life of
Jesus.
The Galilee Region
Five Major Themes in John
• Divinity of Jesus of Nazareth
• Incarnation: God assuming a human nature
• Miracles that confirm Jesus’ identity and
divine mission
• Jesus’ bodily resurrection from the dead
• The redemption of the world through the
death of Jesus
The text articulates five major themes of
Christianity.
Division of the Text
• The Prologue to the Gospel: 1:1-18
• The Book of Signs: 1:19-chapter 12
• The Book of Glory: 13-20
• The Conclusion to the Gospel: 20
• Epilogue: 21
The Prologue
John Chapter 1:1-18
“In the beginning was the Word and the Word
was with God, and the Word was God. . . .All
things came to be through him.” John 1:1, 3
Jesus Christ is introduced as the Word of God
who assumes a human nature in the historical
person Jesus of Nazareth.
The word “Word” is Logos (Greek), a widely used
term in Greek philosophy, often translated “reason”.
The logos is here depicted as a creative power existing
with God before the creation of the universe. This is
similar to “wisdom” in the Hebrew Scriptures.
“In the beginning was the Word and the Word was
with God, and the Word was God. . . .All things
came to be through him.” John 1:1, 3
(1) The Logos is distinct from God, but identified
as divine.
(2) The Logos is the source of the universe.
“And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling
among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the
Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth.” John
1:14
(3) The Logos takes on a human nature.
Jesus Christ is the incarnation of the divine logos.
“No one has ever seen God. The only Son, God, who
is at the Father’s side, has revealed him.” John 1:18
(4) The incarnate Word is the revealer of God.
(5) The Word’s relationship to God is as a father to son.
The prologue is traditionally viewed as providing
support for some kind of plurality in the divine being.
“. . .the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
The Word is distinct from God as a father is distinct from
his son, but the Word is fully divine. God the Father, God
the Son – the beginnings of Trinitarian theology.
Jesus and Salvation
Just as the Logos is the source of the
universe, the Son of God, Jesus, is the
source of redemption for the world.
“To those who did accept him he gave
power to become children of God, to
those who believe in his name. . . .From
his fullness we have all received, grace
in place of grace, because while the law
was given by Moses, grace and truth
came by Jesus Christ.” John 1:12-16-17
“For God so loved the world that he
gave his only Son, so that everyone who
believes in him might not perish but
might have eternal life.” John 3:16
“For God did not send his Son into the world
to condemn the world, but that the world
might be saved through him.” John 3:17
Jesus is presented as the universal savior.
Miracles:
Evidence of the Gospel Message
• Water turned into wine at Cana (John 2:1-12)
• Healing of a royal official’s son (John 4:46-54)
• Healing of the man at the pool at Bethesda
(John 5:1-9)
• The Feeding of the Five Thousand (John 6:1-15)
• Healing of a man born blind (John 9:1-7)
• Resurrection of Lazarus from the dead (John
11:1-44)
John Chapters 1-3
Overview
• Calling of the first disciples (1:35-1:51)
• Miracle of turning water into wine at the
marriage in Cana of Galilee (2:1-12)
• Cleansing of the temple in Jerusalem
(2:13-25)
• Discussion with Jewish leader Nicodemus
(3:1-21)
Jesus calls his first five disciples in Bethany across the
Jordan.
Jesus performs miracle at Cana of Galilee and then goes to
Capernaum.
Cleansing of the Temple in Jerusalem
Jesus’ Discussion with
Nicodemus
• Nicodemus, a
religious leader
among the
Pharisees, comes
to Jesus at night.
• Nicodemus
confesses that he
and others know
that Jesus is a
teacher who has
come from God.
Nicodemus says that they believe
this because of the signs (miracles)
Jesus has performed.
Jesus’ Response
“No one can see
the kingdom of
God without
being born from
above” (John
3:3).
• Nicodemus is perplexed.
• Jesus clarifies that to be born from
above means to be spiritually
transformed.
• Jesus proclaims that he has come
down from heaven and that whoever
believes in him will be spiritually
transformed.
“For God so loved the world
that he gave his only Son, so
that everyone who believes in
him might not perish but might
have eternal life.” John 3:16
John Chapters 4-10 Overview
• Conversation with the Samaritan woman (4:1-42)
• Second Miracle in Cana – Officer’s son healed
(4:43-4:54)
• Healing of a sick man on the Sabbath (5:1-18)
• Miraculous feeding of 5,000 people. (6:1-15)
• Bread of life discourse (6:22-59)
• Light of the world discourse (8:12-30)
• Heals a man born blind. (9:1-41)
• Good shepherd discourse (10:1-18)
Galilee to Jerusalem
(John 5)
Capernaum (John 6)
Galilee (John 7)
Jerusalem (John 7)
Bethany across the
Jordan (John 10)
Hostility Towards Jesus from the Jewish
Leaders
CHAPTERS 4 - 11
Seven references to the Jews plotting and
attempting to kill Jesus
5:18, 7:1, 7:19, 8:37, 8:40, 8:59, 10:31, 11:53
Three References to the Jews seeking to have
Jesus arrested
7:32, 10:39, 11:57
Reasons for Jewish Hostility
Towards Jesus
• Jesus violated the Sabbath (5:10-18, 7:21-23)
• Jesus claimed to be equal to God (5:18, 8:5859, 10:30-33)
• Jesus threatened the social order by
potentially bringing the judgment of Rome on
the Jews. (11:45-53)
John Chapters 11-17 Overview
• Raising of Lazarus from the dead (11:1-44)
• Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem (12:12-19)
• Jesus predicts his own death (12:23-33, 13:2130)
• Last supper discourses (14-16)
• The prayer of Jesus (17)
Resurrection of Lazarus