The Theology of JohnThe Theology of John

South Florida Bible College & Seminary

© John Stevenson, 2009

MatthewMatthew

Jesus as the King of the Jews

MarkMark LukeLuke JohnJohnJesus as the Son

who came to Serve

Jesus as the Perfect

Teacher

Jesus as the Son of

God

The Synoptic Gospels John

Synoptic GospelsSynoptic Gospels

Emphasize the Kingdom Inheritance

JohnJohn

Emphasizes Eternal Life Inheritance

Describes the various historical events

Reflection on the meaning of those

events

Short Sayings of Jesus

Longer Discourses of Jesus

Emphasis on Future Prophecy

Relatively little on Future Prophecy

John 1:1-3John 1:1-3In the beginning was the Word,

and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.

John 1:4-5John 1:4-5In Him was life, and the life was

the Light of men. 5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

John 1:14John 1:14And the Word became flesh,

and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Meeting JesusMeeting Jesus

• John the Baptist

• Andrew and the “other disciple”

• Simon Peter

• Philip

• Nathanael

John 1:19-51

2:1-112:1-11

Water to

wine

4:46-544:46-54 5:1-185:1-18 6:1-146:1-14 6:16-216:16-21 9:1-419:1-41 11:1-4411:1-44

Son healed

Lame man

at Pool

Feeds 5,000

Walks on

Water

Blind man sees

Lazarus raised

We are meant to see these signs through the eyes of the disciples. They are said to be growing in their belief as they see the signs and we are meant to grow with them.

All four Gospel Accounts begin All four Gospel Accounts begin with a Statement of the True with a Statement of the True

Identity of JesusIdentity of JesusThe record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son

of Abraham (1:1)MatthewMatthew

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God (1:1).MarkMark

…the holy Child shall be called the Son of God (1:35).LukeLuke

…and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (1:1).JohnJohn

Titles for JesusTitles for Jesus

• Son of Man– Used most often by Jesus– Daniel 7:13-14 gives the background for the

title

EmphasizesOnly Deity

EmphasizesOnly Humanity

Modern Reformed Modern Reformed ScholarsScholars

Early Church Early Church FathersFathers

Son of

Man

Titles for JesusTitles for Jesus

• Son of Man

• Messiah or Christ– Meaning of the term– Rarely used by Jesus as a self designation

(Mark 14:61-62 is only public pronouncement)– Old Testament Background

• Priests• Prophets• Kings

Titles for JesusTitles for Jesus

• Son of Man

• Messiah or Christ

• Son of God– Jesus applied it to Himself fairly infrequently– He uses the term “Father” to speak of God– Jesus only accepted the title of “God” on one

occasion (John 20:28)

Titles for JesusTitles for Jesus

• Son of Man

• Messiah or Christ

• Son of God

• Lord– Greek (kurios) can be a title of respect– Used in LXX for Yahweh

Gospels

Father

Epistles

11stst Person Person

22ndnd Person Person Son

Theos

Kurios

Titles for Jesus that are Titles for Jesus that are Unique to JohnUnique to John

• The Word

• The Only Born

• Light of the World

• Resurrection and the Life

• I Am

• Good Shepherd

• Door

1:1

Public Ministry

12:1

Private Ministry

Period of three years

Passion week

Throughout Israel Jerusalem

Written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God...

...and that believing you may have life in His

name

KingdomKingdom LifeLife

SynopticsSynopticsGospel of Gospel of

JohnJohn

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of

God” (John 3:3)

John 3:5-7John 3:5-7Jesus answered, “Truly,

truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’”

John 3:8John 3:8“The wind blows where it

wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

John 3:16John 3:16For God so loved the world,

that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

What does John mean when he What does John mean when he speaks of “belief”?speaks of “belief”?

• Cognition

• Convincing

• Confidence

• Commitment

John 3:19-20John 3:19-20This is the judgment, that the

Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.

Light Darkness

John 3:21John 3:21But he who practices the

truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.

Light Darkness

John 4:13-14John 4:13-14Jesus answered and said to

her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”

John 6:27John 6:27“Do not work for the food

which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.”

John 6:28-29John 6:28-29Therefore they said to Him,

“What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”

John 6:36-37 John 6:36-37 “But I said to you that you

have seen Me, and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.”

GODGODFather gives…

…comes to Me

John 6:39-40 John 6:39-40 “This is the will of Him who

sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”

John 6:43-45 John 6:43-45 Jesus answered and said to

them, “Do not grumble among yourselves. 44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day. 45 It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught of God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me.

John 6:64-65 John 6:64-65 “But there are some of you

who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was that would betray Him. 65 And He was saying, “For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.”

John 5:28-29 John 5:28-29 Do not marvel at this; for an

hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, 29 and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment.

John 6:39-40 John 6:39-40 “This is the will of Him who

sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”

John 14:2-3 John 14:2-3 In My Father’s house are

many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.

3 If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.