John’s Gospel – The Whole Story

Full Transcript.

As most of you know, we have just spent many around 45 episodes going through the Gospel of John, chapter by chapter, verse by verse. Now that I've come to the conclusion of our study together that this book is so simple, yet The overall impression it has left me with is the fact this book is also so profound.

I must confess to you that having gone through this book, even though we have spent nearly 30 hours in it, it still feels like we been swimming across the lake called John’s gospel, but we've only skimmed the surface. I'm aware that beneath me are great depths, and there's an urge within me to stop somewhere in the middle of the lake and dive deep to explore its bottom, just to see the depth of it and not just the surface.

Perhaps someday, i'll come back and take portions of the gospel to explore in depth, but for now, we will have to be satisfied with just surveying the landscape instead of exploring the depths.

Before we leave, I'd like to do one more thing. I'd like to take one last look at the Gospel of John and try and summarize the whole book.

What I'd like to do is take a run through the book, giving you one more glimpse of this very important gospel. Maybe this will help put together some of the things we've looked at in this series of daily messages. 

I think it might be helpful if we could look at the narrative before us in its entirety. It’s a major task, indeed, but I hope you find it helpful.

Let's begin our final day together turning again to John chapter 20, starting at verse 30. Where John writes:

"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 you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing, you might have life through his name."

(John 20: 30-31)

This is the purpose of the Gospel of John. John tells us he was attempting to do three things.

First, he was attempting to prove the deity of Jesus Christ. He says that he wrote this book so that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.

It has often been said that Matthew wrote to the Jews and John wrote to the Gentiles, with Matthew demonstrating that Jesus Christ was the King of the Jews and John demonstrating that Jesus Christ was the Son of God. While there is some truth to this, I’d like to clarify this common distinction. 

John was indeed writing to the Gentiles; in fact, he was living in Ephesus (modern-day Turkey) when he wrote this book. However, if all he had done was write a book to prove that Jesus was the Son of God, the modern Roman and Greek pagan world would have had no difficulty accepting that at all. They had many gods, and even the idea that a god became a man would not have been unusual for them.

So, John is not just demonstrating that Jesus is God or the Son of God, but rather, as verse 31 says, he wrote these things so that you might believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ—the Greek word for Messiah. 

It's not enough for him to say that Jesus is the Son of God; but that it is crucial to understand that He is the Son of the God of the Old Testament, the true and living God, the Creator God, the only God.

To believe Jesus Christ is the Messiah, the anointed one of Jehovah of the Old Testament. He is the Son of Jehovah, and indeed, He is Jehovah Himself. 

His second purpose is to provoke faith. John writes these things so that you might believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God.

The third purpose is to produce life. He says, "And that believing you might have life through his name." As a result of reading this gospel, you will see that he is talking about eternal life—the kind of life that God has, the everlasting kind of life.

John tells us very clearly that his purpose is to demonstrate or prove that Jesus is the Messiah and the Son of God so that we can believe in Him and have eternal life. That's his purpose.

My question this morning is: How does John fulfill his purpose? 

Hhow does he accomplish this? What is his plan? 

If the subject of this book is Jesus Christ, focusing on His deity and messiahship, how does John unfold this subject to us?

This is a question I want to address this morning. In other words, I want us to go through the entire Gospel and see how John intends to accomplish his purpose. The answer, in a word, is this: He accomplishes his purpose by presenting one witness or piece of evidence after another.

If you were to lay out the Gospel of John, you would quickly see that John tells one story and one incident in the life of Christ right after another. And as you study deeper, you would begin to see that these events can be grouped into different categories and classifications. 

That's what I want us to focus in on today.

So let's see how John unfolds the subject of Jesus Christ. He begins with a prologue—the first 18 verses of the first chapter. 

In these verses, he tells us that Jesus Christ is life. He also tells us that some rejected Him while others believed in Him and received Him. Those who did believe were born of God and blessed by God.

Then John begins the body of the book. By saying says, "This is the record of John." The Greek word translated "record" in 1:19 is literally "witness." This is the witness of John.

This is a key word in understanding this book. 

All the events from 1:19 through chapter 12 take place during the public ministry of Christ. 

But then beginning in chapter 13, we enter into His private ministry. So, the first thing that John does after his introduction is present us with many events from the public ministry of Christ. 

So point number one: First shown are the witnesses during His public ministry.

So let’s survey these first 12 chapters and note the events, the people, and the witnesses, all of which point to the fact that Jesus is the Son of God the Messiah of Israel.

We begin with the witness of John the Baptist in John 1:19-34.

John says: "And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God." This is John's testimony. He also says in verse 29, upon seeing Jesus, "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." So, John’s testimony is that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Lamb of God. 

That’s witness number one.

Let's look at the second witness, the first disciples.

Beginning in John 1:35 and continuing to the end of the chapter in verse 51. Here, Jesus calls several disciples to Himself. Look at verse 41: Andrew brought his brother, Simon Peter, to Jesus and said, "We have found the Messiah," which is interpreted as the Christ. "Messiah" is the Hebrew word; "Christ" is the Greek word. They both mean "the Anointed One." Andrew’s conclusion is that Jesus is the Messiah.

Drop down to verse 45: Philip finds Nathanael and tells him, "We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." Philip’s conclusion is that Jesus is the one written about by Moses and the prophets. In verse 49, Nathanael answers, "Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel."

Then in chapter 2, verses 1-11, we are given the witness of the first miracle—the wedding at Cana. At the conclusion of that event, the Bible tells us in verse 11 that His disciples believed in Him.

What John is doing here is presenting Jesus as the Son of God, the Messiah. He gives us various witnesses like a prosecutor in court, calling different people to testify about who Christ is. John the Baptist says, "He is the Son of God, the Lamb of God." Andrew says, "We have found the Messiah." Philip and Nathanael conclude, "He is the Messiah of Israel," and even call Him the King of Israel.

John continues to present evidence as Christ begins His public ministry in chapter 2. In verses 12-22, Jesus cleanses the temple. This act itself is a witness to His messiahship. In Malachi chapter 3, we are told that the Messiah would come and cleanse the temple. In verse 16 of John 2, Jesus says, "My Father’s house," taking on a messianic title and claiming to be the Messiah. The disciples remember this later, as verse 17 states, "They remembered that it was written, 'The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.'" This is a quote from a messianic psalm, further affirming His identity as the Messiah.

So, in these initial chapters, John presents witness after witness, all pointing to Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God. Through these testimonies, John aims to fulfil his purpose of proving Jesus' divine identity and messiahship, thereby provoking faith and offering eternal life to those who believe.

So, the witness of the cleansing of the temple tells us that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God. Following this, we have the witness of His miracles in Jerusalem. John 2:23, which continues through John 3:21:

"Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did. But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men." 

(John 2:23-24)

It is unfortunate that there is a chapter break here because John goes on to illustrate this with the story of Nicodemus.

In this part of the Gospel of John, we encounter the most famous verse in the Bible, John 3:16:

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

This verse was likely spoken by Jesus Christ Himself to Nicodemus, but recorded by John.

Next, we have the witness of John the Baptist again in John 3:22-36. John reappears and says in verse 31, "He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all." John’s testimony remains consistent: Jesus Christ is the Son of God. The last verse of chapter 3 reiterates, "He who believes in the Son has everlasting life."

Following this, we are given another witness that of the Samaritan woman and the people of the city of Sychar in John 4. Jesus journeys through Samaria and, weary from His travels, sits by a well. A woman comes to draw water, and they engage in a conversation. The conclusion of that conversation is in John 4:29, where the woman tells the people of the city, "Come, see a man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?" 

The woman recognizes Jesus as the Messiah, and many from the city believe in Him because of her testimony and their own encounter with Jesus. John 4:41 states, "And many more believed because of His own word."

In the latter part of chapter 4, we encounter the witness of the nobleman, whose son Jesus healed. John 4:53 tells us, "So the father knew that it was at the same hour in which Jesus said to him, 'Your son lives.' And he himself believed, and his whole household."

So far, we have seen numerous witnesses: John the Baptist, the first disciples, the cleansing of the temple, Nicodemus, the Samaritan woman, and the nobleman’s son. All these individuals encounter Jesus Christ and conclude that He is the Son of God, the Messiah of Israel, believing in Him and gaining eternal life.

Up to this point, John has been presenting witness after witness. However, there is a subplot in the Gospel of John that begins to develop more fully from chapter 5 onwards. This subplot focuses on the deeper truth that Jesus is not just the Son of God, but very God Himself.

John 5:18 states, "Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God." Here, we have one of the clearest statements in the Gospel of John that Jesus was making Himself equal with God. The people of His day understood this claim and reacted strongly against it.

In John 5:40, Jesus explains the reason for their unbelief: "But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life." The conflict between belief and unbelief, between light and darkness, between the forces of God and the forces of Satan, begins to intensify.

In chapter 6, Jesus performs several more miracles, such as feeding the 5,000 and walking on water. Yet, despite these signs, many do not believe in Him. John 6:41 tells us, "The Jews then murmured against Him, because He said, 'I am the bread which came down from heaven.'" Jesus was clearly claiming divine origin, and this claim was met with resistance.

John 6:64-65 reveals another layer of the unbelief: "But there are some of you who do not believe. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. And He said, 'Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.'" Here, John explains that their unbelief was also because they were not chosen.

This conflict between belief and unbelief continues to escalate in chapter 7, during the Feast of Tabernacles. In John 7:37-38, Jesus makes another profound claim: "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." No mere mortal could make such a claim, yet it further divides the people. John 7:43 notes, "So there was a division among the people because of Him."

In chapter 8, the conflict continues with the story of the woman caught in adultery. After dealing with her accusers, Jesus makes another bold statement in John 8:12: "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." This claim is met with more resistance. John 8:42-44 records Jesus telling them, "If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do."

In John 8:58, Jesus makes an even more startling declaration: "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM." This statement, identifying Himself with the divine name revealed to Moses, intensifies the conflict.

Thus, the Gospel of John presents a series of witnesses affirming Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God. However, it also introduces a growing conflict between belief and unbelief. Jesus’ claims about His divine nature and messiahship are clear, but they provoke division and resistance. Despite this, John continues to provide testimony after testimony to support the truth that Jesus is indeed the Son of God, sent to bring eternal life to those who believe in Hi

Look at the end of chapter eight, verse 59: "Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by." In chapter 5, they charged Him with making Himself equal with God, but now the controversy and conflict have escalated to such a level that they spontaneously pick up stones, so incensed are they by what He is saying.

But the witnesses continue, and so does the controversy. 

In chapter 9, we have the witness of the healing of the blind man. Again, Jesus makes the statement in verse 5, "I am the light of the world." But we also see the conflict, the tension between belief and unbelief, further developing. 

In verse 35, after the man who was healed is cast out of the temple, Jesus finds him and asks, "Do you believe in the Son of God?" The man responds, "Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?" Jesus replies, "You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you." This is another clear claim by Jesus, identifying Himself as the Son of God. The man believes and worships Him, as stated in verse 38. 

However, not everyone believed. In verse 40, some of the Pharisees ask, "Are we blind also?" Jesus responds, "If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, 'We see.' Therefore your sin remains." This highlights the ongoing conflict between belief and unbelief.

The next witness that John presents is the Good Shepherd discourse in chapter 10, verses 1-21. Here, Jesus makes the incredible statement in verse 10, "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." This statement causes more division among the Jews. Some conclude that He has a demon, as seen in verse 19: "There was a division again among the Jews because of these sayings. And many of them said, 'He has a demon and is mad. Why do you listen to Him?'"

Next, we have the witness at the Feast of Dedication in chapter 10, verses 22-42. In verse 24, the Jews ask Jesus, "How long do You keep us in doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly." Jesus responds, "I told you, and you do not believe." In verse 30, He says, "I and My Father are one," leading them to accuse Him of blasphemy in verse 33: "For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God." This clearly shows that they understood His claim to deity.

John continues to develop the subplot of unbelief. In chapter 11, we reach the climax with the raising of Lazarus from the dead. In verse 25, Jesus declares, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live." 

This miracle leads many to believe in Him, as stated in verse 45: "Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him." However, others do not believe and instead plot to kill Him, as seen in verse 53: "Then, from that day on, they plotted to put Him to death." This marks the climax of unbelief, moving from spontaneous attempts to stone Him to a settled conviction that He must be eliminated.

In chapter 12, Jesus is anointed for burial, enters Jerusalem in the triumphal entry, and manifests His messiahship. Many believe, but many do not. In chapter 12, verse 48, Jesus states, "He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day." This marks the conclusion of Jesus' public ministry. Throughout these passages, many believe, but some do not, leading to the decision to put Him to death.

A critical verse in the structure of the Gospel of John is John 11:54: "Therefore Jesus no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there into the country near the wilderness, to a city called Ephraim, and there remained with His disciples." This indicates that He is about to withdraw into a private ministry.

In John 1:19 through John 12:50, John presents witness after witness to the deity and messiahship of Jesus Christ, with the overarching message being, "Believe in Me, trust in Me." The Greek word for "believe" literally means to trust, to give mental assent to, and to rely on the person. Understanding this structure helps us see that John’s Gospel is an invitation to trust in Jesus Christ, with witness after witness affirming His identity.

The witnesses and the evidence for the deity of Jesus Christ in John's Gospel invite us to trust in Him, affirming His divine identity and messianic role through the testimony of various individuals and events.

The first major movement in the Gospel of John is Jesus’ public ministry, but as the climax of unbelief is reached, Jesus withdraws from public view. This transition occurs in chapter 13, verse 1. From chapter 13, verse 1, through to chapter 17, in which we are given His private ministry. In this section, we witness various significant events and discourses.

1. Foot Washing: In chapter 13, verses 1-30, Jesus washes His disciples' feet, a powerful symbol of servitude and humility.

2. Announcement of His Departure: From chapter 13, verse 31, to chapter 14, verse 31, Jesus announces His imminent departure and provides comfort to His disciples.

3. Discourse on Relationships: Chapter 15, verse 1, to chapter 16, verse 6, contains Jesus’ discourse on the relationships between Himself, His disciples, and the world, using the metaphor of the vine and branches.

4. Explanation of His Departure: In chapter 16, verses 7-33, Jesus explains why He must leave, emphasizing the coming of the Holy Spirit.

5. High Priestly Prayer: Chapter 17 contains Jesus’ high priestly prayer, where He prays for Himself, His disciples, and all future believers.

Throughout these chapters, Jesus repeatedly uses a specific argument to assert His deity. For example, in chapter 13, verse 21, Jesus predicts His betrayal, and in verse 19, He says, "Now I tell you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe that I am He." The phrase "I am" is a claim to deity, harking back to God's self-identification in the Old Testament.

Similarly, in chapter 14, verse 29, Jesus says, "And now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe." 

In chapter 16, verse 4, He states, "But these things I have told you, that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you of them." 

And in chapter 16, verse 30, the disciples acknowledge, "Now we are sure that You know all things, and have no need that anyone should question You. By this we believe that You came forth from God."

In His high priestly prayer, Jesus makes a remarkable claim in chapter 17, verse 4: "I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do." He then asks in verse 5, "And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was." This prayer is a powerful witness to His pre-existence and deity.

Jesus’ private ministry repeatedly emphasizes His foreknowledge and divine nature, preparing His disciples for the events to come and affirming their faith in His identity as the Son of God.

Despite the clear evidence presented in the Gospel of John, there are still those who use the same scriptures to refute the deity of Christ. For instance, some argue from John 14:28, where Jesus says, "My Father is greater than I." This does not imply that Jesus is less in essence than the Father, but rather that the Father holds a greater position of authority during Jesus’ earthly ministry. Jesus voluntarily submitted to the Father's will, emphasizing functional subordination rather than ontological inferiority.

Conversely, John 10:30, where Jesus declares, "I and My Father are one," prompted His hearers to accuse Him of blasphemy because they understood it as a claim to deity. This underscores that Jesus’ contemporaries recognized His claims to be God, even if modern interpreters sometimes miss the point.

The third and final section of the Gospel of John is the witness during Jesus’ passion, spanning chapters 18 through 20. This section details the events of His arrest, trial, crucifixion, and resurrection:

1. Arrest and Trial: In chapter 18, verses 1-27, Jesus is arrested. He identifies Himself with the divine "I am," causing the soldiers to fall backward (chapter 18, verse 6). Peter cuts off a soldier’s ear, and Jesus miraculously heals it (chapter 18, verse 10).

2. Trial before Pilate: Chapter 18, verse 28, through chapter 19, verse 15, recounts Jesus’ trial before Pilate. Pilate asks Jesus if He is the King of the Jews, to which Jesus replies in chapter 18, verse 37, "You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth."

3. Crucifixion: The remainder of chapter 19 details Jesus' crucifixion, where He is lifted up, fulfilling His earlier prophecy of being "lifted up" (John 3:14).

4. Resurrection Appearances: Chapter 20 describes Jesus’ resurrection appearances, first to Mary Magdalene, then to the disciples, and finally to Thomas. Each appearance reaffirms His victory over death and His divine nature.

In every stage of His passion story, there are clear signs and miracles that testify to Jesus' identity as the Son of God. The Gospel of John systematically builds a case for Jesus’ deity through His public, private, and passion ministries, inviting readers to believe and trust in Him.

Another clear statement that Jesus is claiming to be the Messiah of Israel, the King of the Jews, can be seen throughout His crucifixion. The fact that His legs were not broken fulfils prophecy, as does the piercing of His side. These events, along with His resurrection appearances, are proofs that He arose and is the Son of God.

The climax of the Gospel of John occurs in chapter 20, where Thomas, initially doubting, declares, “My Lord and my God” upon seeing Jesus' wounds (John 20:28). This declaration is a direct acknowledgment of Jesus’ deity.

Jesus does not correct Thomas, affirming instead the truth of his statement. This moment is pivotal because it provides one of the clearest testimonies to the deity of Christ within the Gospel.

Chapter 21 as we saw yesterday serves as an epilogue, where Jesus performs another miracle, reinforcing His deity and commissioning Peter to "feed my sheep." This indicates that after coming to believe in Christ, followers are to nourish their faith and support others in their spiritual journey.

To summarize the Gospel of John: John presents Christ’s public and private ministry, as well as His passion, to demonstrate His deity and messiahship. The purpose is to encourage belief in Christ so that by trusting in Him, one can have eternal life.

Throughout the Gospel, Jesus is repeatedly identified as the source of life:

·         In the prologue (John 1), it states, "In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind."

·         In chapter 6, Jesus declares, "I am the bread of life."

·         In chapter 10, He states, "I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly."

·         In chapter 11, He asserts, "I am the resurrection and the life."

·         In chapter 14, He says, "I am the way, the truth, and the life."

The consistent message is that Jesus is life itself, offering eternal life to those who believe in Him.

If one seeks a biblical perspective, consider the comparison with the book of Romans, which focuses on justification. Justification means being declared righteous by God despite being a sinner deserving of death. Romans explains that through faith in Christ, one is declared righteous. 

John, however, centers on Jesus’ identity and mission, urging readers to look to Christ and believe in Him for eternal life.

The Gospel of John aims to provide witnesses to the deity of Christ, urging all readers including us today to believe and know for certain that they have eternal life. This message has been reiterated throughout the Gospel.

For those uncertain about their eternal life, the Gospel of John offers assurance. As poet Lord Tennyson reportedly said, “As the sun is to that flower, so is Jesus Christ to me. 

Without the sun, there is no life; with the son, there is eternal life.” Similarly, without Jesus Christ, there is no life, but with Him, there is eternal life. 

The Gospel of John calls out, emphasizing Jesus Christ as the one who died for humanity, rose from the dead, and offers eternal life to all who believe in Him.

I hope that is the truth you received from John by studying his gospel account of the life of Jesus.