John

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 (John 1:34). It is God revealed as light and love. John sets forth the divine glory of His person, because of who He is—the “I am” (John 8:58).
There are many marks that distinguish the Gospel of John. 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” (John 1:4). In this Gospel 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 (John 18:6). There are no parables, and only one miracle in common with the other Gospels (John 6:5-14). There are a number of words peculiar to John’s Gospel, not that they don’t occur elsewhere, but nowhere with such regularity. Four of them—“love”, “world”, “believe” and “life”—are to be found together in 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” (John 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” (John 1:29). Beautifully, it is not his public testimony, but the expression of his heart—“Behold the Lamb of God!” (John 1:36)—that turns his disciples to follow Him. John gathers to the Lord; Jesus gathers to Himself—“Follow me” (John 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 (John 1:51).
Chapter 2 introduces us to His millennial glory. The joy of that kingdom is prefigured in the marriage scene at Cana (John 2:11), while in the cleansing of the temple we have the judgment that will characterize it (John 2:14-17).
In chapter 3 we find that the only way into the kingdom of God is through new birth (John 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” (John 3:6). God cannot trust man (John 2:24); instead, man must place His trust in God (John 3: 36). The first three chapters are introductory to the entire book.
Going before them, they follow Him (John 10:4). He is our 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. 14:6); “I am the true vine” (ch. 15).
If the Lord gathers, He also divides because of His person (John 7:43), because of His works (John 9:16) and because of His words (John 10:19). In chapter 9, the Lord Jesus and those that believe on Him are rejected and cast out (John 9:34). In chapter 10, He calls His own by name and leads them out of the fold (Judaism), that there might be one flock (the church) and one Shepherd (John 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” (John 11:52).
In the chapter 12, Jesus answers the people, “I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me” (John 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: “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:2, 3). Neither are we left comfortless, for the Holy Spirit is promised upon His leaving (John 14:16; 16:7). Finally, 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” (John 17:21).
In chapters 18 through 21, we have the Lord’s trial, death and resurrection. “It is finished” (John 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” (John 20:17). The Lord’s concluding exhortation to Peter is, “Follow thou me” (John 21:22).