Transcript Document

THE
LIFE
&
WRITINGS
OF THE APOSTLE
JOHN
SECTION
II
THE
GOSPEL
Last week we started Section 2,
“THE DIVINE RELATIONS,” where
our focus switched from John’s
“life” to his “writings.” The first
lesson was entitled The Prologue.
We learned that in Greek culture, a
prologue was used as an opening
to a story to establish the setting
and background. It was often used
to connect an earlier story to the
main one. In John’s prologue, he
makes an astounding declaration
that Jesus is God in the flesh. Then
he proceeds to prove his theory.
REVIEW
The Word Revealed (John 1:1-4)
The Word Rejected (John 1:5-11)
The Word Received (John 1:11-18)
Our focus verse was:
John 1:14 (KJV) And the Word was
made flesh, and dwelt among us,
(and we beheld his glory, the glory
as of the only begotten of the
Father,) full of grace and truth.
The textbook condenses a lot of
much beneficial information. Too
much for us to skip over. A more
detailed examination of the text
is essential for the serious Bible
students to gain useful, spiritual
insights. Therefore, we will be
using additional resources to
enhance our learning experience.
The uniqueness of John’s gospel
sets it apart from the other three.
Starting with verse 14, in chapter
1, John sets the stage for the
greatest revelation of all times.
THE
REVELATION
of the
Son of
God
TEXTBOOK OUTLINE
John 1:19- 2:12 - Faith Begins in the
Disciples
The Testimony of the first preacher
(1:19-37)
• The Testimony of the first disciples
(1:38-51)
• The Testimony of the first Miracle
(2:1-11)
John 2:13 – 4:54 – The First Public
•
Manifestation
• In Judea (2:13 – 4:3)
• In Samaria (4:4-4:42)
• In Galilee (4:43-54)
John 5:1- 6:71 - The Crisis of
Manifestation
Our textbook places emphasis
on the testimony of John the
Baptist. It calls him the “first”
preacher. The Life Application
Bible says:
John the Baptist was unique …
but John did not aim at
uniqueness for its own sake.
Instead, he aimed at
obedience. He knew he had a
specific role to play in the
world – announcing the
coming of the Savior.
The message of John the Baptist
moved people to action. Many
turned from their sinful ways in
full repentance. But John’s
message was not received well
by the Jewish political system.
The Life Application Bible states:
The words of truth that moved
many to repentance goaded others
to resistance and resentment.
The religious leaders took
offense to John baptizing Jews.
These critics sent a delegation to
challenge John’s authority.
John the
Baptist
and his
Critics
John 1:19-28 (KJV) Now this is
the testimony of John, when the
Jews sent priests and Levites from
Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are
you?” He confessed, and did not
deny, but confessed, “I am not the
Christ.” And they asked him, “What
then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I
am not.” “Are you the Prophet?”
And he answered, “No.” Then they
said to him, “Who are you, that we
may give an answer to those who
sent us? What do you say about
yourself?”
John addresses the Pharisees
who are sent to cross-examine
him.
• John says that he is not the
Messiah (1:19–20)
• John says that he is not
Elijah (1:21)
• John says that he has been
sent to prepare the way for
the Lord (1:22–28)
John 1:23-27 He said, I am the voice
of one crying in the wilderness, Make
straight the way of the Lord, as said
the prophet Esaias. And they which
were sent were of the Pharisees. And
they asked him, and said unto him,
Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not
that Christ, nor Elias, neither that
prophet? John answered them,
saying, I baptize with water: but there
standeth one among you, whom ye
know not; He it is, who coming after
me is preferred before me, whose
shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to
unloose.
John replied that he was not any
of the expected prophetic
figures. He explained, however,
that his ministry was described
in the Old Testament. He was the
voice (phōnē), while Jesus is the
Word (Logos). John’s function
was one of preparation, and it
was carried on in the wilderness.
The wilderness was a difficult
place in which to travel. Rulers
had road crews go before them
to prepare the way so that their
travel would be made easier.
John the
Baptist
and
Christ
John 1:29-31 (KJV) The next
day John seeth Jesus coming
unto him, and saith, Behold the
Lamb of God, which taketh
away the sin of the world. This
is he of whom I said, After me
cometh a man which is
preferred before me: for he was
before me. And I knew him not:
but that he should be made
manifest to Israel, therefore am
I come baptizing with water.
John the Baptist’s confession of
“the Lamb of God,” is of great
significance. The Jews used a
lamb as a sacrifice for the
Passover Feast, celebrating
Israel’s deliverance from
slavery. They would sacrifice a
lamb daily in remembrance.
John was declaring that Jesus
was the once and for all
sacrificial Passover lamb; His
death would serve as the
deliverance of God’s people
from their sins.
Matthew Henry’s commentary
says:
John the Baptist had called
people to repent of their sins,
in order to the remission of
them. Now here he shows how
and by whom that remission
was to be expected…, what
ground of hope we have that
our sins shall be pardoned
upon our repentance, though
our repentance makes no
satisfaction for them.
Jesus, the Lamb of God, became
the Mediator between God and
man. Thus removing everything
which is offensive to God’s
holiness and destructive to the
purpose of man. Matthew Henry
makes two points:
First, To take away the guilt of
sin by the merit of his death,
to vacate the judgment.
Secondly, To take away the
power of sin by the Spirit of
his grace.
In his efforts to explain the
significance of the phase “The
Lamb of God,” Pastor and
author John MacArthur writes:
The use of a lamb for sacrifice
was very familiar to the
Jews… John the Baptist used
this expression as a reference
to the ultimate sacrifice of
Jesus on the cross to atone for
the sins of the world. A theme
which John the apostle carries
through out his writings.
Jesus does this by taking our
sins upon Himself. Matthew
Henry says:
He is the Lamb of God, that
bears the sin of the world;. He
bore sin for us, and so bears it
from us; he bore the sin of
many, as the scape-goat… God
could have taken away the sin
by taking away the sinner, but
He has chosen a way of
abolishing the sin, and yet
sparing the sinner, by making
His Son sin for us.
THOUGHT TO REMEMBER
The term “Son” of God has
the idea of something being
“birthed by” something else.
The WORD becoming flesh
was “birthed by God.” Thus,
when referring to Jesus, the
term the “Son of God” is not
an inferior one; it speaks of
intimacy of relationship.
John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily,
verily, I say unto thee, Except a man
be born of water and of the Spirit,
he cannot enter into the kingdom of
God.
Being born of “water” refers
to relationship of with the
earthly father. Being born of
the “Spirit” refers to our
relationship with the
heavenly father. This is why
we must be…
BORN
AGAIN!
ARE YOU?
READING ASSIGNMENTS
REVIEW
Textbook Pages
116-122
 The Revelation of
the Son of God
Scripture
• John 1:19- 6:71