John 1

John 1 

We may think of John as writing the fourth section of the gospel.  However, it is really the fourth section of a four-fold gospel in the sense that there are four voices giving a different perspective on Jesus’ life.  It is believed the gospel of John was the likely the last of the four written.  It is written in view of what the other writers had already said and is therefore, different from the other three.  John leaves out some of the significant events that Matthew, Mark and Luke included in their writings.  These include the following:

·         The birth story

·         Jesus’ baptism and temptation in the wilderness

·         His confrontations with demons

·         Teaching of parables

·         The Last Supper

·         Gethsemane

·         The Ascension

If we look closely at the first three gospels we notice they are centered on Jesus’ ministry in Galilee while John focuses on what Jesus said and did in Jerusalem.

In addition each of the gospels emphasizes a different origin of Jesus.  Matthew shows Jesus descended from Abraham through David and demonstrates that He is the Messiah promised in the Old Testament.  Mark shows Jesus came from Nazareth.

·         What does this show?  It demonstrates Jesus as a servant.  (Mark 1:9)

Luke shows Jesus came from Adam and John shows us he came from heaven, demonstrating that He is the Son of God.

The first three synoptic gospels focus on what Jesus taught and did.  John focused more on who Jesus is.

We learn who Jesus is by the seven miracles told of by John.  Six of these miracles are not mentioned in the first three gospels.  These miracles are dramatic I AM statements.  He also shows us who Jesus is through 4 witnesses in the first chapter.

·         What was John’s purpose in writing this gospel?  It is so we may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and that believing in Him will give us Eternal Life.  It is proposed that John has helped scholarly skeptics to believe.  The oldest surviving fragment of the New Testament is a portion of John 18, found in Egypt and dating back to before 150 A.D.

John does not tell us much about himself in this writing.  We do learn some things about him from other gospel records.

·         What are some things we learn about him from these records? 

John’s father was Zebedee and his mother was Salome.  She was one of the women at the tomb the morning it was discovered Jesus was resurrected.  John’s brother was James and his partner in the fishing business was Peter.  John and his brother James were given the name, “Sons of Thunder.”

·         What makes the gospel of John a beloved gospel?  It is because of its combination of both simplicity and depth.  John has been called “a pool in which a child may wade and an elephant may swim.”  A quote from Erdman says, “Its stories are so simple that even a child will love them, but its statements are so profound that no philosopher can fathom them.  (This introduction came from David Guzik’s site.)

    1. Why would John refer to Christ as the Word?  McConkie answered this question by saying:  “Christ is the Word or Messenger of Salvation.”  He explained:  In pre-existence was Christ, and Christ was with the Father, and he, the Son, had himself also attained godhood.  The gospel itself is the word, and it is because the gospel or word of salvation is in Christ that he, on the principle of personification becomes the word.  He was the mediator who was sent to reconcile humanity with God.

  2.How does John’s description of the Word help us understand the Savior’s role in the Father’s plan?  All that was done was under the direction of the Father.  Christ became the executor of the will, commandment, or word of the Father.  The Father declared Christ was ‘the word of His power.’
 3.    How is Jesus the light and the life to Heavenly Father’s children?  John makes a pronouncement that establishes some of the images used powerfully throughout the gospel.  “In him was life and the life was the light of men.  Thus Jesus is the light and the life of the world.  The world largely does not recognize the Word through which God had created it.

4.       Who was this John “sent from God”? (1:6-8) It was John the Baptist.  John was foreordained to prepare the people for the Savior’s mortal ministry.

5.       How do we become sons of God?  We must do whatsoever the Lord shall command us in this life.

6.       How does modern revelation clarify that Jesus was full of grace and truth?  John explained that when Jesus was born into mortality he received not of the fullness at first but received grace for grace and continued from grace to grace until he received a fullness.  He had to start just as all other children do and gain his knowledge line upon line.

7.       In verses 19-23, what do we learn about the character of John the Baptist as he responded to the Pharisees’ questions?  He knew his place in God’s plan and in relationship to the Christ.  The Jewish leaders assumed when they interrogated him he would claim to be the Messiah, but he didn’t.  He described himself as the voice of one crying in the wilderness.  He was sent to bear witness of the Light, Jesus the Christ.  John held the Priesthood of Elias—the Aaronic Priesthood.  He could only baptize with water only, whereas Christ would come in the power and authority of the Melchizedek Priesthood and baptize both with water and Holy Ghost.  He knew that he was not the Elias who was to restore all things.  He let it be known the Messiah was that Elias.  He would come to restore the fullness of the gospel given to Adam and Abraham and many of the prophets of old.  He will also replace the lesser Law of Moses with the high law of Christ.

8.      Why would the Pharisees use baptism as evidence against John?  Baptism was an ordinance normally administered to proselytes.  They were basically asking the question, “If you are not the Messiah, what right do you have to treat Israelites as if they were proselytes?”  Thus the implication is the messiah would come to inaugurate an entirely new covenant and might possibly be expected to baptize eve Jews.

9.        How did the title “Lamb of God” reveal John’s understanding of the Lord’s mission?    This is the only gospel to refer to Jesus as the Lamb of God.  This is a reference to the lamb slain at the Passover and the blood was shed when the Israelites were saved from bondage in Egypt.  John the Baptist’s comment reveals his understanding about the Savior and His place in fulfilling Old Testament prophecy. 

10.   What was the previously appointed sign that would help John recognize the Son of God?  The sign of the dove was the sign, but he also heard the voice of God, the Father.
11.   What can we learn from the Savior’s invitation to John’s disciples?  Christ did not answer Andrew’s question about where he lived by taking him to his home, inviting him to see how he lived, and sharing with him who he was.  Andrew felt the Spirit.  So if someone shows an interest in our conversations about religion, we can invite them to come and see also.  Christ invites each of us to learn, walk, talk, and believe in Him.  In other words, follow Him.
12.   Why did the Savior refer to Simon as Cephas or “a stone?  Cephas actually means stone in Aramaic.  But Joseph Smith clarified the meaning further.  Cephas is a seer, which forecasts Peter’s eventual call as a prophet.
13.   What did Nathanael learn about the Savior’s understanding and care for him?  It would appear from this passage Nathanael was praying or meditating while under the fig tree, or perhaps worshiping.  The Lord, Jesus Christ, was not there in body at the time, but was with Nathanael in spirit.  This should have an effect on how we approach God I prayer.  It also shows the Savior knows us individually.
 14.   What is the meaning of the term “Son of Man”?  It is exclusively a term for Jesus Christ.  He was never the son of a mortal man.  He knew His Father was the one and only supremely exalted Man.  The complete phrase is the Son of the Man of Holiness.  His father is Elohim, the Eternal Father.

Questions and answers from The New Testament Study Guide:  Start to Finish.