JOHN
JOHN : This book begins with: "In the beginning was the
Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."(John
1:1; from King James' Version) God sent John the
Baptist to witness Jesus Christ being the true
"Light," yet among the Jews, He was not accepted.
"Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His
Name, He gave the right to become children of God -- children
born not of natural descent (i.e., not a physical birth) ...but
born of God." (John 1:12-13) And, Christ became a human,
living on earth. John the Baptist said, "Look, the Lamb of
God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29) John
the Baptist also said, "He Who will baptize with the Holy
Spirit...is the Son of God" (John 1:33-34) and further said,
"Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever
rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on
him." (John 3:36)
Well-known stories of and by Jesus include:
- MIRACLE AT CANA IN GALILEE (John 2): This
was the first public demonstation of Jesus' heaven-sent
power . The water in six 20-30 gallon pots was turned
into wine -- at a wedding celebration, at the request of
His mother Mary.
- NICODEMUS' DISCUSSION (John 3): A Pharisee,
Nicodemus, discussed religion with Jesus and was told
"...no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is
born again ." In the further discussion is a
most-quoted portion: JOHN 3:16 -- (from King
James' Version) :
- "For God so loved the world, that He gave
His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth
in Him should not perish, but have everlasting
life."
- WOMAN AT THE WELL (John 4): A (despised)
Samaritan woman at Jacob's well was approached by Jesus,
who explained "living water" to her:
"...the water I give...will become... a spring of
water welling up to eternal life." (John 4:14) The
woman led many to Jesus.
- BREAD OF LIFE (John 6:25-59): In Capernaum,
Jesus explained, "...I am the Bread of Life."
(John 6:35;6:48) And, He explained that the Bread from
heaven gives eternal life to everyone who eats it. (John
6:48-51).
- BORN BLIND (John 9): Asked if a man blind
from birth was that way because of his or his parents'
sins, Jesus said that it was neither. Jesus healed the
man on the Sabbath. The man said, "...I was blind
but now I see !" (John 9:25) Jesus said,
"For judgment I have come into this world, so that
the blind (i.e., the spiritually ignorant) will see and
those who see (i.e., those who think they have spiritual
knowledge) will become blind (i.e., will not recognize
Jesus)." (John 9:39)
- LAZARUS RAISED FROM DEAD (John 11):
Lazarus, dead for four days, was buried in a cave with a
heavy stone rolled across its door. Jesus told his sister
Martha, "I am the Resurrection and the Life. He who
believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and
whoever lives and believes in Me will never die..."
(John 11:25) At the tomb, the heavy stone was rolled
aside and Jesus shouted, "Lazarus, come out!"
And, Lazarus came. (John 11:43-44)
Jesus had many story-illustrations for people of his time. An
example:
- GATE FOR THE SHEEP (John 10:1-16): Shepherd, gatekeeper,
and sheep were used as an illustration, after which Jesus
explained: "...I am the Gate for the sheep...whoever
enters through Me will be saved...will go in and out, and
find pasture." (John 10:7-9) Then Jesus said,
"I am the Good Shepherd...lays down his life for the
sheep." (John 10:11) Further, Jesus said, "My
sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow
Me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never
perish..." (John 10:27-28)
Jesus performed many healings and miracles, other than those
mentioned above -- summarized here:
- Jesus' second miracle in Galilee (first was wine from
water in Cana): Royal official's son, near death --
healed (John 4:46-54)
- In Jerusalem, at pool, man sick for 38 years -- healed on
Sabbath (John 5:1-15)
- Feeding of 5000 people with five barley loaves and a
couple of fish, with 12 baskets of food left over (John
6:1-13)
- Disciples on rough seas -- Jesus walked on the water to
the boat and made it arrive safely (John 6:16-21)
Jesus had many other main points, some including:
- "...whoever hears My Word and believes Him who sent
Me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed
over from death to life." (John 5:24)
- "...the very work that the Father has given Me to
finish, and which I am doing, testifies that the Father
has sent Me." (John 5:36)
- "Whoever believes in Me...streams of living water
will flow from within him." (John 7:38)
- "I am the Light of the world. Whoever follows Me
will never walk in darkness, but will have the Light of
life." (John 8:12)
- "...You are from below; I am from above. You are of
this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you
would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am
the one I claim to be (i.e., the Messiah), you will
indeed die in your sins." (John 8:23-24)
- "If you hold to My teaching, you are really My
disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth
will set you free ." (John 8:31-32)
- "...everyone who sins is a slave to sin...if the Son
sets you free, you will be free indeed." (John
8:34-36)
- "...if anyone keeps My word, he will never see
death." (John 8:51)
- "...before Abraham was born, I am! (i.e., was
existing)" (John 8:58)
- "...believe the miracles, that you may know and
understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the
Father." (John 10:38)
- "I have come into the world as a Light, so that no
one who believes in Me should stay in darkness...There is
a judge for the one who rejects Me...that very Word which
I spoke will condemn (i.e., doom) him at the last day
(i.e., Judgment Day)." (John 12:46;48)
Another disagreement with the Pharisees was told:
- CAST THE FIRST STONE:
- Pharisees brought a woman caught in
adultery, saying Moses' law said to kill her by
throwing stones at her: what do You say? Jesus
answer: "...If any one of you is without
sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at
her." (John 8:7) And, the woman was not
harmed.
Jesus' interactions with his disciples at the Last Supper were
described:
- "...I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man
cometh unto the Father , but by Me." (John 14:6,
from King James' Version)
- "...Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father...I
am in the Father and... the Father is in Me...words I say
are not just My own...it is the Father, living in Me, who
is doing His work." (John 14:9-10)
- "And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that
the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask Me for
anything in My name, and I will do it." (John
14:13-14)
- "Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. No branch
can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. I
am the Vine; you are the branches..." (John 15:4-5)
- "This is My commandment, That ye love one another,
as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this,
that a man lay down his life for his friends." (John
15:12-13, from King James' Version)
- "...the Father will give you whatever you ask in My
name." (John 15:16)
- "When the Counselor (i.e., the Holy Spirit) comes,
whom I will send to you from the Father ...Truth... He
will testify about Me." (John 15:26)
- "...in regard to sin, because men do not believe in
Me..." (John 16:9)
- "...in My Name...Ask and you will receive, and your
joy will be complete." (John 16:24)
- "Now this is eternal life: that they may know You,
the only true God, and Jesus Christ, Whom You have
sent." (John 17:3)
With implications for the future yet to come, Jesus talked about
the events that would signal the "end of the age" (or
the world) and His return:
- "...a time is coming when all who are in their
graves will hear His voice and come out -- those who have
done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil
will rise to be condemned." (John 5:28-29)
JESUS' PASSOVER (LAST) SUPPER AND CAPTURE in
Jerusalem (John 13): Jesus individually washed the disciples'
feet and said, "...do as I have done for you...no servant is
greater than his master..." (John 13: 15-16) Jesus further
said, "...whoever accepts Me accepts the One who sent
Me." (John 13:20) Jesus told Simon Peter that he would deny
Jesus three times before the rooster would crow the next morning.
After the supper, at the olive grove, Judas arrived with
officials and soldiers. Simon Peter slashed off the ear of a
servant of the high priest. Peter denied that he knew Jesus three
times, and then the rooster crowed that morning.
JESUS' "TRIAL" AND CRUCIFIXION (John
18,19):
Meeting with Pilate, the Roman governor, Jesus said that He was
not an earthly king and that He came to bring "the truth"
to the world. Pilate said that he had no basis to charge Jesus
and tried to release Jesus but eventually gave Jesus to the Jews
to be crucified at Golgotha (meaning the place of the
"Skull").
Jesus was crucified with two others, one on each side. A sign was
posted over Jesus: "JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE
JEWS" in Aramaic (Hebrew), Latin, and Greek. When Jesus
said, "I'm thirsty," a sponge with wine vinegar was
lifted to Him. Later a soldier pierced His side with a spear,
with blood/water flowing out. Joseph of Arimathea requested
Jesus' body and, with Nicodemus, took Jesus' body down and
wrapped it in strips of linen with myrrh and aloes as spices.
Jesus' body was placed in a new tomb (at a garden at the place
where Jesus was crucified) just before the Sabbath (Saturday,
Jewish holy day).
THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS (John 20):
Early Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene
found the stone covering removed from the entrance to the tomb.
She ran and told Simon Peter and another disciple. Returning to
the tomb, they saw only the strips of linen and the cloth that
had been around Jesus' head. Mary returned again to the tomb and
saw two angels and also Jesus, who first appeared as a Gardener
to her before she recognized Him. Jesus, that evening, appeared
to the disciples. The disciple Thomas was not with the others
and, when he heard of Jesus' appearance, Thomas said,
"...Except I shall see in His hands the print of the nails,
and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand
into His side, I will not believe." (John 20:25, from King
James' Version). A week later, Jesus appeared while
Thomas was there and said to Thomas, "...Reach hither thy
finger, and behold My hands; and reach hither thy hand, and
thrust it into My side; and be not faithless, but
believing." (John 20:27, from King James' Version).
Thomas said, "...My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28)
Jesus told Thomas: "...Thomas, because thou hast seen Me,
thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet
have believed." (John 20:29, from King James' Version)
Thomas has been labled ever since as "Doubting Thomas."
Jesus appeared to the disciples on the Sea of Tiberias (or Sea of
Galilee) and told them where to cast the nets, allowing them to
get a full catch (153 large fish). Then, Jesus instructed Peter
(Simon Peter) to "...Take care of My sheep." (John
21:16).