Think about the most important season of your life. Right now, some of you may have images of high school running through your mind or maybe your college years when you finally figured out what you wanted to do with your life. Maybe it was those years you spent living at grandma’s house or a cathartic summer of backpacking through Europe. Whatever it is, I want you to reflect on it for a few minutes. What do you recall most vividly? What emotions do you attach to that time? How did it change the rest of your life?

For me personally, I think I’m living my best, most significant days right now. As I consider the 32 years I’ve spent on this earth, I know I’ve experienced various milestone seasons—my senior year in high school when I finally discovered my voice, the year I fell far from the Lord and came back into His embrace after a painful breakup and subsequent spiral, and even the years I spent being bullied and emotionally abused to the point of daily suicidal thoughts and even an attempt. But as I look back, none of those times have been as monumental, life-altering, perspective-shifting, or rewarding as the past five years.

Working in full-time ministry and being a father—which is also full-time ministry in and of itself—has caused me to evaluate so much of myself, my habits, and parts of my heart that had gone unnoticed and unattended for years. It’s taken me to the brink at times; tested my resolve, my patience, my faith, and my character . . . but at the same time, it’s given me a fulfillment and joy, a satisfaction and purpose I never dreamed I could have. Every time I think about my son and daughter, even when they’re driving me up the wall and making my hair turn grey, my heart swells up like the Grinch. Every time I receive an e-mail from someone the Lord has spoken to and helped through my devotionals or articles, it makes all the hours agonizing over Greek words and exposition come to life. I am confident that when I’m old and grey—or more accurately, greyer—I will reflect on these times as the most significant season of my life.

For the apostle John, there can be no doubt the three years he spent with Jesus made up the milestone season of his life. You can feel that every single time you read the Gospel of John and his three letters found later in the New Testament. His memories, so vivid and full of life, love, and the beauty of Christ, just jump off each page. Unlike the other Gospels (known as the Synoptics), which were much more similar to standard ancient biographies in Greek and Roman culture, John’s takes a unique approach in his recollection of the life of Jesus as it presents a picture of Jesus that is explicitly divine. While the other Gospels present Jesus as divine, neither do more than the Gospel of John. This Gospel is the only one that specifically and emphatically states that Jesus is God within the very first chapters and spends the rest of the book revealing Jesus’ divinity by His actions and ministry.

So, before we begin our journey through John, let’s get a little context and background for this Gospel.

Author and Date

The author of this Gospel claimed to have been a disciple of Jesus and a trustworthy firsthand witness to the events described. Most readers today completely miss the author’s subtle nod to his identification—“the disciple whom Jesus loved” (21:20). In the early Church, this title was widely known to refer to John, the son of Zebedee and brother of James. Today, there is virtually no dispute regarding John as the author of this Gospel. There is, however, some dispute as to the date of its writing.

Despite some doubt among scholars, most place the Gospel of John at a later date than the Synoptic Gospels, ranging from 65 to 90 A.D. Many believe John’s Gospel was written during the reign of Emperor Domitian (81–96 A.D.). It’s also believed that this letter was written during John’s exile on the island of Patmos near Ephesus.

Audience

Unlike the Synoptics, John’s Gospel was written to a general audience, likely in a circuit of churches in Asia Minor. According to Dr. William Lane, “The author has responsibility for a circuit of churches, perhaps in Asia Minor, including Ephesus and some other areas. This group of Christians once worshiped in the synagogue with other Jews. The development of a high view of Jesus as not only the Messiah but as God Himself led to a radical theological separation between the Christian Jews and the non-Christian Jews. Also, heresies had crept into some of the churches in the form of a type of Docetism that saw Jesus as not human, only spirit—no flesh, only spirit. The Gospel of John, then, was written to explain further the Johnannine view of Christ as well as to respond to opposing views and other teachings. The author is, therefore, writing an apology of sorts that defends his particular view of Jesus’ life and Jesus’ teachings.”

Purpose

John describes the purpose of his Gospel in John 20:30–31(NIV): “Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

This purpose plays the same role today that it did when it was written: to lead people to salvation through Jesus Christ by proclaiming the powerful, profound, and unapologetic truth of His miracles and message. A verse such as John 3:16, arguably the most famous verse in the Bible, is timeless in that it applies to anyone at any time in history, for Christ came into the world to save it and all one has to do is believe in Him.

John’s Gospel lays out seven miracles and seven “I am” statements made by Jesus, all of which serve to personalize who He is to us and what He is for us. This Gospel plays a powerful and indispensable role in the spiritual journey of believers and non-believers, as it emphasizes the availability of eternal life for all who believe in Jesus and provides several miracles meant to elicit faith in Christ. The Gospel of John is considered an excellent starting point for non-believers and new believers to begin their journey through the Bible.

Key Themes

Jesus Is God Incarnate: The Gospel of John, particularly the prologue (John 1:1–18), presents Jesus as divine. Here, Jesus is identified as the Word who was with God in the beginning, who left His heavenly throne and entered into His creation. He took on the form of man and dwelt (eskēnōsen: set up camp; to sojourn; to spread a tabernacle) among man. Throughout the book, we see Jesus referred to as the One “who came from the Father” (1:14) to make Him known (1:18), the One who is “equal with God” (5:18), and who is God (1:1, 8:58, 9:35–­37, 10:36, 14:9).

Jesus Is the Messiah: The seven miracles recorded in John function primarily as signs pointing to Jesus’ Messianic identity. They serve as signs of God’s presence in Jesus’ works and words, each calling for a commitment. Notice also that each miracle is followed by a discourse that presents something about the character of Jesus.

The miracles are as follows:

1.    Changing water into wine (John 2:1–11)

2.    Healing the royal official’s son in Capernaum (John 4:46–54)

3.    Healing the paralytic at Bethesda (John 5:1–18)

4.    Feeding the 5,000 (John 6:5–14)

5.    Jesus’ walk on the water (John 6:16–24)

6.    Healing the blind man from birth (John 9:1–7)

7.    Raising Lazarus from the dead (John 11:1–45)

John’s Gospel also contains several key witnesses that attest to and declare Jesus as the Messiah (John the Baptist, the Samaritan woman at the well, Martha, God the Father, the disciples, and Jesus).

The Choice of Belief or Unbelief: Jesus’ miracles and “I am” statements, which distinctly highlight some aspect or characteristic of Jesus as Messiah, fostered belief in some (2:11, 4:1–42, 9:1–39, 11:1–44), but also spurred the opposition of others (11:46–57). Whereas the common expression says, “Seeing is believing,” the Gospel of John challenges that by telling us the opposite; that believing is seeing. This is a choice that must be made by each one of us, a choice Jesus’ words gave many throughout this Gospel (11:36, 16:31, 20:29).

The “I am” statements are as follows:

1.    “I am the bread of life.” (John 6:35, 48, 51)

2.    “I am the light of the world.” (John 8:12)

3.    “Before Abraham was, I am.” (John 8:58)

4.    “I am the door of the sheep.”(John 10:7, 9)

5.    “I am the good shepherd.” (John 10:11,14)

6.    “I am the resurrection and the life.” (John 11:25)

7.    “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” (John 14:6)

8.    “I am the true vine.” (John 15:1, 5)

Things to Consider

Throughout this series, I want to encourage you to think about who you were before you became a believer. And during this series, as we discover who Jesus is, reflect on who you are now in Christ. Who are you now that Christ is in you? How did your life change because of Christ in you?