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Discussion Forum : Devotional Thoughts : The Gospel of John

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 The Gospel of John

It doesn't take but reading a few lines in this book to recognize that it is very unique.Just as I believe we see through all the books of the Bible,the Holy Spirit in authoring it blends in the personality of the writer He has chosen to reveal God's Word to us.
In Matthew we can see at once that Jesus is King.In Mark it is ceaseless activity,God's Servant at work and crowning it by the perfect sacrifice for sin.In Luke it's "Behold The Man,"the perfect man.Three presentations of our Lord and they are full of beauty.
But on this side of Calvary and looking back through "Born of the Spirit"eyes something is lacking.
Where is the "SON?"The Eternal Son of God,the one we have died with and risen with in newness of life.The one we know now,not in the weakness of the flesh,but in the unlimited dimensions of His Resurrection and the new creation.
The one "Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
"The One by whom all things were created and by whom all things consist.The one who has reconciled us to Himself.The highly exalted one that we can know and fellowship with.
We are identified with Him as sons of God ourselves,indwelt of His Spirit,and being His purchased possession,longing for Him to come back and receive us unto Himself.We want a portrait of that "ONE,"the Son of God and John gives us that pen-portrait.
John himself one of the 12,of the inner circle of Peter,James and John.The son of Zebedee and brother of James.They probably had a thriving fishing business,probably owned by their father and was known to the high priest Caiaphas. (John 18:13,15) He was on the Mount when Jesus was transfigured before Peter and James and himself.He is very active in the early part of Acts,arrested along with Peter(Acts 4) and goes with Peter into Samaria.(Acts 8) Years later he is exiled to the isle of Patmos,where he is given and writes the Book of Revelation and probably writes the letters 1st,2nd,and 3rd John and maybe even this Gospel from there.
John presents us with the portrait of Jesus as the Son of God.No lineage to David or Abraham or Adam but connected with eternity,the Creator.God in the Flesh.The other three gospels (Matthew,Mark and Luke)emphasize the human aspect but John unveils the Divine.
The first three seem to be a presentation of Jesus and the fourth interprets Him.
For example in (John 3:16) is He still speaking to Nicodemus or is John interpreting or explaining Calvary and what Jesus accomplished for us there?I think the latter as does the better part of Christians.Another example is (John 7:39) where John is interpreting what Jesus just stated about "rivers of living water."
Then in chapter 3 again (John 3:31-36),is John the Baptist still speaking or has John jumped ahead beyond Calvary and is interrupting or explaining especially in (John 3:36)?Jesus in much of His teachings presented to us by John in this Gospel seems Himself to jump beyond Calvary and to all that will be provided for us.
The first three gospels deal with His public discourses the fourth with more of His private conversations especially with His disciples.The first three deal with much of His Galilean ministry while the fourth mainly with His Judean ministry.
There is no account in John of Jesus's birth,His baptism is not described,nor His temptation or transfiguration or His ascension.Then again most of what John records is omitted by the other three.
By the time we come through all 4 gospels,the choice is laid before us.John makes it very clear,we must make the decision,to receive and be saved or reject and perish forever.(John 20:31) really seems to be in the forefront throughout this book."That you might believe."

"But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name."

We can't get through the first 14 verses of chapter 1 before we realize that this book is different.At once we are presented with four designations of our Lord,The Word,The Life,The Light and The Son.Then John goes on to express this through the rest of the book.We can readily see as we proceed through the book that these designations stand out as the subject matter of the book.
Then how can we miss the 7 great "I Am's"that stand out in the book.
1.I Am the Bread of Life.(John 6:35,41,48,51)
2.I Am the Light of the World.(John 8:12)
3.I Am the Door of the Sheep.(John 10:7,9)
4.I Am the Good Shepard.(John 10:11,14)
5.I Am the Resurrection and the Life.(John 11:25)
6.I Am the Way,the Truth,the Life.(John 14:6)
7.I Am the true Vine.(John 15:1,5)
Our Lord didn't come to just give bread,He is the bread.He didn't come to just shed light,He is the light.He didn't come to just show a door,He is the door.He didn't come to name a shepherd,He is the shepherd.He didn't come to just point the way,He is the way,the truth ,the life.He didn't come to plant a vine,He is the vine.

 2013/7/8 16:54Profile





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