Introduction: Each book of the Bible has a unique quality about it. Of course, being the revelation of God, each book was recorded by men who were guided by the holy Spirit. So the gospel of John has some aspects that are not covered in other books. It was probably written after the other gospels and most of the epistles. Furthermore, it was probably written to counteract a heresy that had developed denying the divine nature of Jesus. The supreme idea in the gospel seems to be to affirm that Jesus was REAL; that He existed before the world came to be, and that faith in His deity was absolutely essential to obtaining eternal life. Let us look at three basic features of this book.
The Beginning - In the beginning, starting back further than any other of the gospels, he affirms that the Word was! Showing that when the beginning was, there was the Word, being Deity and with the Father. He was in the process of bringing the world into being, and not anything was made without Him.
Also, that Word, with the Divine Nature, took upon Him flesh and became a man, dwelling in the flesh, manifesting the Father.
This combination of deity and humanity being combined has always given man, in his finite mind, some trouble in trying to comprehend and fully accept this aspect of God. It has to be done by FAITH. I don't understand how, but I accept the fact that the scriptures show that Jesus Christ was FULLY God and Man. To deny either aspect of this gets one into trouble.
The End: Showing that much was not recorded that Jesus did, but what was written is TRUE as well as adequate, being all that we need in order to accomplish the purpose for which it was written.
There is no way that the Miracles which He did can be accounted for on any basis other than the fact that He was who He claimed to be, The Son of God, having come down from the Father was destined to return to the Father. While here He was telling man what he needed to do to please the Father. He claimed emphatically that He was AND is: the Way, the Truth, and the Life,- that it is impossible to reach the father without Him (Jn. 14:6).
There is plenty of evidence to convince the honest and diligent seeker (LK. 8:15; Heb. 11:6; Jn. 7:17) of the nature of Jesus and the necessity of man to be saved eternally. Of course, if one wishes to be wise in his own eyes, then he'll develop some theory that will explain away His claims and the right to make legitimate demands, claiming that He is something OTHER than what the Bible clearly affirms--That He is fully God and Man, Deity in the Flesh (Jn. 1:1-14).
Witnesses to the Sonship of Jesus Christ!
There were a number of witnessed, testifying to the claims of Jesus. We should BELIEVE!
1. John the baptizer:
(Jn 1:7) The same came for a witness, to bear witness
of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light,
but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
2. The Father:
(Jn 8:13-16) The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou
bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true. Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I
bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and
whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go. Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no
man. And yet if I judge, my judgment
is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me.
3. Jesus Himself.
(Jn. 8:18) I am one that bear witness of myself, and the
Father that sent me beareth witness of me.
4. The Samaritan Woman
(Jn. 4:39) And many of the Samaritans of that city
believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all
that ever I did.
5. The Scriptures
(Jn. 5:39:39) Search the scriptures; for in them ye think
ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
6. The Spirit: (Jn 15:26) But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:
7. John the writer of the gospel:
(Jn 21:24) This is the disciple
which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his
testimony is true.
----- A Wonderful Book! -William C. Sexton
Assignment:
1. Quote Jn. 1:1-4, 14; 20:30-31
2. Describe Jesus' dual nature
3. Who witnessed to His claims
4. In your view what is the purpose of the book?
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