The following matter are notes from which I taught my adult Sunday School class. They are posted here primarily for the benefit of class members who were not in attendance for the lesson.
Preliminary remarks:
I believe in the verbal, plenary inspiration of the Bible. [see this Theopedia article for explanation). This means that I have a high view of Scripture. I believe that when John used certain words it was the design and intent of the Holy Spirit that John used that particular word. It also means we must handle the Word of God reverently, carefully, and honestly.
This is to be an exhaustive study of the Gospel. I anticipate that we will be at it two years or more, should God give us time. We are not in a hurry. I hope to post the more salient portions of the lessons in my blog for those that are absent, so you will be able to keep up and not miss out on much.
During the course of our study I will be using vocabulary that may be unfamiliar to you. Do not let me get ahead of you. I will try and define terms, but if I don’t — or if you have a question — do not be afraid to interrupt me. Ignorance is not bliss. Ignorance can hurt you. So ask your question.
Some of you may have different translations than I have. You will forgive me, but I will be using the King James Version because I like it. It may not be the only translation and it may not be the best. But it’s the one I will be using.
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Author: John, the son of Zebedee and Salome
(Mark 1:16-19) Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him. And when he had gone a little further thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets.
(Matt. 27:56) Among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's children.
Cf. (cf. means “compare)
(Mark 16:1-2) And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. (2) And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.
John was uneducated, which means that he was not rabbinically trained. He did not have a seminary education.
The book is written in a simple style. The vocabulary is meager, with many words and expressions being often repeated.
(Act_4:13) Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.
Close friend of Jesus
John was a cousin of Jesus. His mother and Jesus’ mother were sisters.
Only John, along with his brother James and Peter were present at the raising of Jairus’s daughter, the transfiguration, and witness to Jesus’ agony in the Garden of Gethsemane.
John was “the disciple whom Jesus loved,” (John 19:26). It was John who leaned on Jesus’ chest at the Last Supper (John 13:23)
It was John who, at the foot of the cross, was entrusted with caring for his aunt and the mother of Jesus.
Ministry:
Supposedly lived in Jerusalem for 15 years after the ascension, until Mary died.
No record of him being in Jerusalem after A.D. 50.
Elder in Ephesus
Exiled to Patmos either during the reign of Nero or Trajan
Wrote three epistles: 1, 2, and 3 John
Wrote the Apocalypse (either before A. d. 70 (internal evidence) or around A.D. 90 – 95 (external evidence).
Died in the last decade of the first century, being in his nineties.
John’s Gospel is distinctly different from Matthew, Mark, and Luke.
| John | |
| Jesus often speaks of himself | Jesus seldom speaks of himself |
| Style is simple; vocabulary limited | |
| Jesus’ birth not mentioned | |
| Jesus’ baptism not recorded | |
| Jesus’ divinity emphasized | Jesus’ humanity emphasized |
| No parables, except John 15 | Parables common |
| No demons exorcised | Demons exorcised |
| Only one reference to scribes (John 8:3) | Many references to scribes |
| Ministry: 3 years | Ministry: 1 year |
| Locus of ministry: Judea & Jerusalem | Locus of ministry: Galilee |
| Includes miracles not mentioned in synoptics (Cana, Lazurus) | |
| No Sermon on the Mount | |
| No Olivet discourse |
Purpose in writing: (John 20:31) But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
Exposition of John 1:1 to be posted shortly, Lord willing.
2 comments:
Re: I have a high view of Scripture
But maybe not high enough, for we see that passages like Ps. 118:8, Pr. 30:5-6 and many other verses warn against slipping into a habit of trusting in non-Bible sources.
As the saying goes, one has to take off their own shoes before they can take a walk in someone else's moccasins, and similarly, when it comes to cases of The Bible vs. Tradition, one has to be willing to let go of the traditions of men in order to see the truth that is hidden in plain sight in the text of scripture.
TheDiscipleWhomJesusLoved.com has a free eBook that only compares scripture with scripture in order to highlight the facts in the plain text of scripture that are usually overlooked about the “other disciple, whom Jesus loved”. You may want to weigh the testimony of scripture that the study cites regarding the one whom “Jesus loved” and may find it to be helpful as it encourages bible students to take seriously the admonition “prove all things”.
My belief that John is the author of the Gospel bearing his name does not diminish my regard for the Word of God. In the first place, the Bible does not name the author. If it was important, the Holy Spirit would have seen to it that it was included. If it is "hidden in plain sight" it really wouldn't be hidden, would it? And if it is in plain sight, why has it taken so long for someone to find it?
Secondly, newly discovered "findings" are automatically suspect. Why would God conceal the authorship for two thousand years only to have it discovered by someone no one has ever heard of? Who is J. Phillips and what is his true agenda?
Whether John wrote it or Lazarus wrote it does not change one thing. The class is not about identifying the author but seeing the Divinity of its primary subject, Jesus Christ the Lord.
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