Far from being mere repetition, the subject matter of this, the final Gospel, is as distinct as that of the first three. In the Gospel of John, the Lord Jesus is presented as the Son of God (ch. 1:34) God revealed as light and love. John sets forth the divine glory of His person, because of who He is, the “I am” (ch. 8:58).
While the previous three Gospels are synoptic—giving an outline of the Lord’s life—we do not find this in John. Rather, “in Him was life; and the life was the light of men” (ch. 1:4). We have no genealogy and no record of His birth, finding instead what He was in the beginning, before creation the eternal Son. He was God before He became Man.
As Son of God, we do not read of the agony in the garden; rather, we see His divine majesty overawing His enemies (ch. 18:6). There are no parables and only one miracle in common with the other Gospels (ch. 6:5-14). There are a number of words that appear frequently “love,” “world,” “believe” and “life” and they are to be found together in John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16). On twenty-five occasions, the Lord introduces His words with “verily, verily” (or truly, truly), such is their importance.
Christ’s rejection by Israel is assumed from the outset: “He came unto His own, and His own received Him not” (ch. 1:11). That which pertains to Judaism is always “of the Jews” (such as ch. 2:6, 2:13 and 5:1) a phrase that occurs infrequently in the other Gospels, but many times in John. John the Baptist identifies the Lord, not as the Messiah, but as “the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (ch. 1:29). Later, the expression of his heart—“Behold the Lamb of God!” (ch. 1:36)—turns his disciples to follow Jesus.
John gathers to the Lord; Jesus gathers to Himself: “Follow Me” (ch. 1:43). When Nathaniel owns the Lord as the Son of God, the King of Israel a picture to us of the Jewish remnant the Lord immediately introduces the “Son of Man,” a title that takes us beyond Israel to His universal headship (ch. 1:51).
Chapter 2 introduces us to His millennial glory. The joy of the kingdom is prefigured in the marriage scene at Cana (ch. 2:11), while in the cleansing of the temple we have the judgment that will characterize the kingdom (ch. 2:14-17).
In chapter 3 we find that the only way into the kingdom of God is through new birth (ch. 3:3). The flesh, no matter how religious, cannot enter the kingdom; it must be judged, and the One who is life must die. There is nothing in man pleasing to God: “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (ch. 3:6). God cannot trust man (ch. 2:24); instead, man must place His trust in God (ch. 3:36). The first three chapters are introductory to the entire book.
He is all: “I am the bread of life” (ch. 6); “I am the light of the world” (ch. 8); “I am the door” (ch. 10); “I am the good shepherd” (ch. 10); “I am the resurrection and the life” (ch. 11); “I am the way, the truth and the life” (ch. 14); “I am the true vine” (ch. 15).
If the Lord gathers, He also divides because of His person (ch. 7:43), because of His works (ch. 9:16) and because of His words (ch. 10:19).
In chapter 9, the Lord Jesus and those that believe on Him are rejected and cast out (ch. 9:34). In chapter 10, He calls His own by their name and leads them out of the fold (Judaism), that there might be one flock (the church) and one Shepherd (ch. 10:3,16 JND). In chapter 11 we have the prophecy that He would die, not just for Israel, “but that also He should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad” (ch. 11:52).
In chapter 12, Jesus answers the people, “I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me” (ch. 12:32). As He is heavenly, so will His people be. He is not leading us to a promised land here in this earthly scene, the scene of His rejection, but to His Father’s house with its many mansions (ch. 14:2). We are not left comfortless either, for the Holy Spirit is promised upon His leaving (ch. 14:16; 16:7).
In chapter 17 we hear the Lord in communion with the Father: “That they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in Us: that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me” (ch. 17:21).
In chapters 18-21, we have the Lord’s trial, death and resurrection. “It is finished” (ch. 19:30); thus the work of the Son is complete. Appearing unto Mary, He can tell her, “Go to My brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto My Father, and your Father; and to My God, and your God” (ch. 20:17). The Lord’s concluding exhortation to Peter is, “Follow thou Me” (ch. 21:22).
N. Simon