Introduction to John

Name

The title “John” comes from the name of the book’s author.

Author

Strictly speaking, the Gospel of John is anonymous because the author is not explicitly named. However, there is a great deal of internal and external evidence that John, the son of Zebedee, was the author.

Internal scriptural evidence shows the author was an apostle (1:14, 2:11, 19:25). He was one of the twelve disciples, “the one whom Jesus loved” (13:23, 19:26, 20:2, 21:20, 21:24-25). The disciple whom Jesus loved was at the cross. The only disciple that fits these descriptions is John.

External evidence includes church fathers Polycarp and Iraneus, who said John had published a Gospel. Finally, Eusebius (a Roman historian of Greek descent who was the preeminent Biblical scholar in his time)  said Matthew and John wrote the Gospels that bear their names.

Genre

Gospel

Literary Form

Narrative

Time Frame

The date for the writing of the Gospel of John is impossible to pin down with precision. However, it was most likely written between A.D. 70 and John’s death in A.D. 100. Most scholars agree on a date between A.D. 85 and A.D. 95.

Emphasis

John’s gospel is very different from Matthew, Mark, and Luke, in that 90% of the content is unique to John. The emphasis of the Gospel John is on Jesus’ deity as the Son of God, and how we can know and believe in Him.

One of John’s Gospel’s unique aspects is John records seven signs (miracles) performed by Jesus:

• Changing water into wine in Cana (2:1-11)
• Healing an official’s son in Capernaum (4:46-54)
• Healing an invalid at the Pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem (5:1-18)
• Feeding the 5,000 near the Sea of Galilee (6:5-14)
• Walking on the water of the Sea of Galilee (6:16-21)
• Healing the blind man in Jerusalem (9:1-7)
• Raising Lazarus from the dead in Bethany (11:1-44)

Another unique aspect of John’s Gospel is he recorded seven of Jesus’ “I am” statements: “I am…

• The Bread of Life” (6:35).
• The Light of the world” (8:12).
• the Gate for the sheep” (10:7; & 10:9).
• The Good Shepherd” (10:11, 14).
• The Resurrection and the Life” (11:25).
• The Way and the Truth and the Life” (14:6).
• The true Vine” (15:1; & 15:5).

Outline

1. Prologue: The Son of God’s First Advent (1:1-1:18)
2. Jesus’ first year of ministry (1:5-4:54)
3. Jesus’ second year of ministry (5:1-5:47)
4. Jesus’ third year of ministry: Galilee (6:1-6:71)
5. Jesus’ third year of ministry: Jerusalem (7:1-10:30)
6. Jesus’ third year of ministry: Perea (10:40-11:57)
7. Jesus’ third year of ministry: the disciples (12:1-17:26)
8. Jesus’ trial, suffering, and crucifixion (18:1-19:42)
9. Jesus’ resurrection,  triumph over death (20:1-31)
10. Epilogue: Jesus’ appearance to and charge to the disciples (21:1:21:25)