John
Purpose
John stands apart from the other three Gospels, offering a profound theological meditation on the identity of Jesus rather than a straightforward chronicle of his deeds. It opens with a majestic prologue: in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God — and this eternal Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth. The book is built around seven signs — water turned to wine, healing, feeding, walking on water, giving sight to the blind, and raising the dead — each revealing Jesus' glory as the incarnate Son sent by the Father, and interwoven with long discourses in which Jesus speaks of himself with the absolute "I am": the bread of life, the light of the world, the door, the good shepherd, the resurrection and the life, the way, the truth, and the life, the true vine. John's stated purpose is explicit: "these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name" (20:31). Light confronts darkness, love defines God's very being, and the cross is the hour of Jesus' glorification, where he draws all people to himself.
Author
Traditionally John, son of Zebedee, "the disciple whom Jesus loved"
Time Period
Written c. 85-95 AD
Key Themes
- Jesus as the Word and Son of God
- Signs and belief
- Eternal life
- Light and darkness
- Love
- The "I am" sayings
Outline
The prologue (ch. 1:1–18): the Word in the beginning, the light coming into the world, and the Word made flesh. The book of signs (ch. 1:19–12:50): the first disciples, the wedding at Cana, the cleansing of the temple, Nicodemus, the Samaritan woman, the healing at Bethesda, the bread of life discourse, the man born blind, and the raising of Lazarus. The book of glory — the farewell discourse (ch. 13–17): washing the disciples' feet, the new commandment, the promise of the Spirit, "I am the way," the vine and the branches, the High Priestly prayer. The passion and resurrection (ch. 18–21): the arrest and trials, the crucifixion, the burial, the empty tomb, the risen appearances to Mary Magdalene and the disciples, and the restoration of Peter by the sea.