A Different Gospel

Matthew, Mark, and Luke, the other three Gospels in the New Testament, are filled with similarities in their shared stories and parables. John's Gospel does not sing in the same key. Over 90% of John's Gospel does not appear in the other three.

In the other Gospels, the parables and stories of Jesus are the emphasis of His teaching; in John, the emphasis is on His discourses, and we find no parables. The closest part to a parable is Jesus’ teaching on shepherding, which is more like an allegory.

The other three Gospels focus on Jesus' ministry in Galilee; John's focus is on the five trips Jesus made back and forth to Jerusalem.

• First Passover Trip (2:23)

• An Unnamed Feast He Attended (5:1)

• Feast of Tabernacles (7:2)

• Feast of Dedication (10:22)

• Last Passover (13:1)

Without John, we would imagine Jesus' trips to Jerusalem to have been few.

John recorded eight miracles, only two of which are mentioned in the other Gospels.

• Turning water into wine (2:2-11)

• Healing the nobleman’s son (4:46-54)

• Healing the paralytic man (5:1-15)

• Feeding the five thousand (6:1-14, mentioned in other Gospels)

• Walking on water (6:15-21, mentioned in other Gospels)

• Healing the blind man (9:1-41)

• Raising Lazarus from the dead (11:1-44)

• Providing the catch of fish (21:6-11, a post-Resurrection miracle)

John carefully chose these miracles to use them to fulfill the purpose of His Gospel. Around these miracles, he placed Jesus' interviews and sermons.

John recorded some 27 interviews, and the majority of them only show up in his Gospel. John was not seeking to be comprehensive in his presentation of Jesus' life, ministry, death, and Resurrection. He was specific to suit the purpose of the Gospel he was inspired to author.

The Greatest Distinction of John's Gospel

John’s Gospel made Christ’s identity clearer than any other Gospel. He quoted Jesus saying, “I and my Father are one” (10:30), and, “The one who has seen me hath seen the Father” (14:9). John built his argument concerning who Jesus was by quoting Jesus, saying; “Before Abraham was, I AM” (8:58). God had defined His name “Yahweh” to Moses by declaring, “I AM Who I AM” (Exodus 3:14). When Jesus said, “Before Abraham was, I AM,” He was claiming to be God. John developed this idea throughout his Gospel by listing out the times Jesus used Yahweh's name with different metaphors to explain just how present He was. 

• I AM the Bread of life (6:35).

• I AM the Light of the world (8:12; 9:5).

• I AM the Door (10:7).

• I AM the good Shepherd (10:11, 14).

• I AM the Resurrection and the Life (11:25).

• I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life (14:6).

• I AM the true Vine (15:1).

The Purpose of the Gospel 

John did not hide the purpose of his Gospel within the text for his readers to figure out. John placed his purpose toward the end of the book: “Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of His disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:30–31).

John sought to provide plenty of evidence to overthrow two false notions: first, that Jesus just appeared as God; second, that He was just a man upon whom the Holy Spirit rested.

John's goal was clear from the beginning and end of his Gospel: he wished to communicate that God and man dwelt within the single Person of Jesus Christ—both natures joined perfectly together. John wanted to convince his readers that Jesus was the promised King, and He was the Son of God. His hope was not just that readers would be without doubts as to Jesus’ true identity, but also that they would devote their entire allegiance to Christ as God's King of the entire cosmos.

Lastly, John made it clear that when people gave Christ their complete allegiance, they encountered and began to experience eternal life.

The Date of Writing

Although the date of John’s writing is controversial, John's Gospel was likely the final book written in the New Testament, just before the turn of the first century in 90-100 A.D.

John was most likely living in Ephesus when he compiled a Gospel unlike anything written. He was reaching out to those who did not know Christ or those who had heard of Him but had distorted views. He was, no doubt, largely reaching out to the Gentile world, providing a Gospel relevant to the questions they needed answered.

Chapter Emphasis Outline

Christ, the Word (1)

Christ, the Transformer (2)

Christ, the Savior (3)

Christ, Our Eternal Life (4)

Christ, Our Healer (5)

Christ, Our Manna [Bread of Life] (6)

Christ, the Controversial (7)

Christ, the Light of the World (8)

Christ, Our Sight (9)

Christ, the Good Shepherd (10)

Christ, the Resurrection and the Life (11)

Christ, the Anointed and Triumphant King (12)

Christ, Our Servant (13)

Christ, Our Peace (14)

Christ, the Vine (15)

Christ, Our Comforter (16)

Christ, the Intercessor (17)

Christ, the Rejected (18)

Christ, Our Sacrifice (19)

Christ, Our Victory (20)

Christ Appears (21)