The Gospel of John

1. Background of the Book

2023-07-12 · 7m

The Gospel of John is often the first Gospel given to new Christians, because it’s probably the most straightforward introduction to Jesus. The simplicity of the language also makes John’s Gospel the one most often translated into new languages around the world. However, while John’s Gospel is straightforward, it’s also deep and profound. For Christians, it’s the Gospel that offers a lifetime of ever-increasing complexities concerning the nature and identity of Jesus Christ.

2. The Big Ideas

2023-07-19 · 11m

There are three Big Ideas in John’s Gospel: Revelation, Rejection, and Reception. If you read closely, the framework for these Big Ideas is laid out in the very first chapter of John.

3. Key Players

2023-07-26 · 11m

The people mentioned in the Gospels are fascinating. Sometimes they’re larger-than-life historical figures, and sometimes they appear normal like us. In fact, there are even unnamed people in the Gospels that play important roles, such as the Samaritan woman at the well, the nobleman, the paralytic, the woman taken in adultery, the blind man and his parents, and the man formerly possessed by a legion of demons. The biographical sketches of people in the Gospels are often important because they teach us deeper things about Jesus and our own experiences with him.

4. The Seven Signs

2023-08-02 · 12m

For centuries, Bible scholars have noted what they call the “Seven Signs” in John’s Gospel. The signs begin with a wedding and end with a funeral. Did you know that there is an actual branch of theology called semiotics – the study of signs? In the Bible, signs are often miraculous, but not always. The purpose of biblical signs is much like the purpose of road signs today – to point people in the right direction. In this sense, the signs in John’s Gospel were meant to point the way to Christ’s special message for humanity.

5. The Seven Signs (Continued)

2023-08-09 · 14m

For centuries, Bible scholars have noted what they call the “Seven Signs” in John’s Gospel. The signs begin with a wedding and end with a funeral. Did you know that there is an actual branch of theology called semiotics – the study of signs? In the Bible, signs are often miraculous, but not always. The purpose of biblical signs is much like the purpose of road signs today – to point people in the right direction. In this sense, the signs in John’s Gospel were meant to point the way to Christ’s special message for humanity.

6. The Seven 'I Am' Statements

2023-08-16 · 16m

According to John’s Gospel, Jesus delivered seven important statements that began with the words, “I Am.” Like a puzzle, these seven “I Am" statements hidden throughout John’s Gospel each give a clue about the identity of Jesus. Together, these statements create a bridge between the revelations of God in the Old Testament and the Son of God, Jesus Christ, in the New Testament.