John’s Gospel: Detailed Analysis of Jesus’ Life and Teachings
Posted on Apr 13, 2024 in Religion
John’s Gospel
90 to 100 AD
Author: John ‘beloved disciple’ – follower of that
Audience: Jewish/Christian community – Which probably had gentiles/samaritans accepted
Most theological —> ‘explains in more detail’
Chapter 1
- ‘In the beginning’ —> Creation / Genesis
- Word = Jesus (Logos in Greek)
- 1:10 —> Jesus has always been
- 1:14 —> Word became flesh
- Personal testimony of John the Baptist
- Trinity at Jesus Baptism
Chapter 2
- The wedding at Cana
- Turns water into wine
- 2:4 —> if not disrespectful
- Knows when he needs to do what he needs to do
- 2:5 —> do what he tells you
- Obedience to God
- ‘Best Wine’ Till last
- Jesus/God provides the best
- 1st public miracle
Chapter 4
- Jesus encounters a Samaritan Woman
- Jesus engages w/ samaritans
- ‘Unclean’
- Long tradition
- Jesus Reveals that he is the messiah
- 4:13 – 14
- Water I give / Never thought
- Knowledge about 5 husbands
- ‘Owned’ by this person who would be a relative of her husband
- 4:46 – 5,4 (second sign at Cana)
- Royal Official —> Not Jewish
- Demand for a sign
- Cure the son
Chapter 5
- Jesus gets the people to work on the Sabbath, which usually is a relaxing tradition
- If God is constantly doing work, we should always be doing work as well (Jesus)
- This is one of the points where John further explains it while Mark, Matthew, and Luke do not
- Jesus ‘I do what I do because of my father’ ‘Because God does I do’
- ‘I am the bread of life’ (Jesus) Eat of me and you will live forever
Chapter 8
- The Pharisees are planning on stoning a woman for adultery
- Jesus says no you may not throw a stone because you are not perfect (hypocrite)
- In the Pharisees defense they are right because they are following the law
- Light of the World
- Get in fight with Pharisees about verifying his divinity / testimony
- 8:24 —> ‘if you do not believe that I AM, you will die in your sins’
- I’m showing myself to you and you still don’t get it
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
- Raising of Lazarus (Lazarus is Jesus’ good friend)
- He weeps and cries first, shows his emotion which shows his humanity
- Ends up raising him from the dead
- The passion narratives 12-21
Chapter 12
- Anointing at Bethany
- She’s preparing him for death
- Judas asks why they waste their perfume and not sell it, this foreshadows Judas’ betrayal to Jesus
- The entry into Jerusalem
- Fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies
Chapter 13
- The washing of the feet
- Jesus does this to provide the example that explains no one is better than the other
- Peter says Jesus is too good to wash his feet, and he must do it so Peter can go to heaven
- Judas’ betrayal
- Jesus says whoever is gonna Betray him to just do it already
- The new commandment
- ‘Love one another, as I have loved you, so you should love one another’
- Peter’s denial
- Peter says ‘Master, Why can’t I follow you, I will lay my life on the line for you.’ Now Jesus predicts that Peter will deny him three times
Chapter 14
- The advocate
- Is the Holy Spirit and foreshadows Pentecost
Chapter 15
- Vineyard -> the kingdom of God
- Vine grower -> God
- Vine -> the people who are doing good (Jesus)
- Branches -> the people who are else learning
- Fruit -> faith and actions, good works
- We learn and work of what we learn for Jesus which comes from God which helps build and grow the kingdom of God
- People who lack faith just like the bad branches, will be burned and thrown away as waste
Chapter 18
- Peter first denial
- John dramatized Peter’s denial by breaking it up into parts
- Trial before Jesus
- ‘You say I am a king’ -> Jesus says earlier ‘Who do you say I am’ = Same thing
Chapter 19
- High Priest tries to get more but Pilate tells him no no no and he is shut down he has had enough
- Jesus says to Mary ‘looks at John and says this is your son and says John, this is your mother’
- Theological meaning: Mary is our spiritual mother
- Historical meaning: Patriarchal society and Mary needs to be owned if so Mary will become a widow and they were treated poorly and often marginalized and forced to beg. So Jesus gives her to John to ‘own’
Chapter 20
- The tomb
- Mary Magdalene goes to the Tomb and sees Jesus but thinks it is not Jesus
- She realizes it’s Jesus when he says ‘Mary’ and she realizes and runs off and tells the disciples she saw the Lord and tells them what she said
- Thomas (A disciple)
- He did not believe Mary saw the Lord
- Then Jesus came forth to Thomas and said to touch him in his hands ‘Say it to my face’
Chapter 21
- Jesus says to Peter ‘Do you love me’ and Peter constantly says yes, he then tells him to tend to his sheep
- 3 denials then 3 ties saying he loves him and then Peter goes off and leads the church
