“The sum and substance of all blessedness, both in this life and in that which is to come, is to know God… and He can only be known in the Person of His Son.”1
Matthew | ||||
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Foregone conclusion
Old Testament history of Israel
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John | |||
Main subject
Christ presented and
rejected by His people
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⇨ |
Foregone conclusion
Christ presented and
rejected by His people
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Paul | |
Main subject
The glories of the Son,
the Father revealed
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⇨ |
Foregone conclusion
The glories of the Son,
the Father revealed
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Main subject
Our blessings in
association with Christ
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- “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35, 48)
- “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12; 9:5)
- “I am” (John 8:58)
- “I am the door” (John 10:9)
- “I am the good shepherd” (John 10:11)
- “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25)
- “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6)
- “I am the true vine” (John 15:1)
- John 7:30; 8:20 ………The Hour of His Sufferings From Man’s Hand
- John 12:27……………..The Hour of His Atoning Sufferings
- John 16:25……………..The Hour of His Resurrection, when He would Openly Declare the Father
- John 13:1; 17:1……….The Hour of His Return to the Father
- John 5:25……………….The Hour of His Grace When Souls Are Quickened
- John 4:21……………….The Hour of Worship in Spirit and Truth
- John 16:2-4 ……………The Hour of Man, When Believers are Persecuted
- John 5:28 ………………The Hour of Resurrection
- John 2:4; 12:23………The Hour of His Manifestation to the World
- ch.1 – a dove – representing spotless purity
- ch.3 – the wind – representing an unseen power
- ch.4 – a fountain – representing satisfaction and worship
- ch.7 – a river – representing channels of blessing to others
- ch.10 – the porter – representing a power to chance circumstances
- ch.14 – the comforter – representing sustenance and guidance
- ch.20 – breath – representing the character of resurrection life
- ch.2:1-10 – the marriage of Cana – Christ supplies Israel’s joy in the Millennium.
- ch.4:46-54 – the healing the nobleman’s son – Christ shows grace to the faithful remnant.
- ch.5:1-9 – the healing the infirm man – Christ does for Israel what the Law could never do.
- ch.6:5-14 – the feeding the 5000 – Israel under the Millennial, Melchizedek Priesthood of Christ.
- ch.6:15-21 – walking on the sea – Christ brings the faithful remnant through the tribulation.
- ch.9:1-7 – the healing of the blind man – Christ opens the spiritual eyes of the Remnant.
- ch.11:1-44 – the raising of Lazarus – Christ effects the national resurrection of Israel.
- ch.21:1-14 – the haul of fishes – Israel casting the Kingdom Gospel net into the sea of nations.
The word Gnostic comes from the Greek word ‘gnosis’, which means knowledge. The word is used by historians to describe a school of thought. Gnosticism arose from a group of evil workers who claimed to have higher light, special spiritual knowledge, or “secret wisdom”. This movement began in the days of the apostles, and continued into the 5th century. Before John died the seeds of Gnosticism had been sown; perhaps even before Paul's death (1 Tim. 6:20). John’s epistles are written to defend against the inroads of Gnosticism (2 John 1:7,9). Peter warns of their false teaching, and Jude warns of its moral effect on the Christian testimony. Gnosticism is responsible for not just one heresy, but seven or eight. What is it? In this mystical system, the spiritual world was good, and material world was evil. They rejected the incarnation, because it connects the human with the divine. The Gnostics would try to separate “Jesus” from “Christ”, by making Christ an emanation (a shining out from a source) from God that never truly became flesh, or else was united to a mere man named Jesus at his baptism, but returned to God before Jesus’ death on the cross. In doing so, this evil system annulled the incarnation, the atonement, and the resurrection. The doctrine of the New Testament anticipates this irreverent and wicked system of doctrine by stating the simple truth of Christ's Person and work. Church fathers who defended against Gnosticism were Ignatius of Antioch ('Seven Epistles'), and Irenaeus of Lyons ('Against Heresies').
Read more…- Life – the manner of existence that the Father and Son enjoy (love, joy, peace, holiness), which is far beyond what humans experience naturally. The Son came into this world and fully displayed that life; hence He is called “the Word of life” (1 John 1:1). This life is “in the son”. Not only is the Son able to impart that life to men (initially), but that life cannot be practically enjoyed and sustained apart from Him.
- Light – the character of God displayed toward man. There are really two aspects of light: (1) that which exposes man’s true moral condition, and (2) that which reveals the character of God to man. Christians “are light” in the Lord, and we “walk in the light”.
- Love – the heart of God revealed. Divine love is a settled disposition of favor. Love is what led Father to send the Son, and led the Son of God to the cross.
- John 1 – 7 ……………….Life
- John 8 – 12 ……………Light
- John 13 – 19 …….……Love
References:
- Hole, F. B. The Gospel of John Briefly Expounded. Central Bible Truth Depot.
- Grant, Leslie M. Comments on the Gospel of John. Believers Bookshelf Inc.
- Kelly, William. An Exposition of the Gospel of John. T. Weston, 1898.
- Darby, J. N. Synopsis of the Books of the Bible. G. Morrish, 1940.
- Huebner, R. A. The Eternal Relationships in the Godhead: Fundamental Truth Concerning the Trinity, the Incarnation, the Word, the Eternal Life, and the Eternal Sonship. Vol. 1, Present Truth Publishers, 1997.
- Chuck Hendricks, Address on John 7. Richmond, BC. 1997.
- Address by Stan Jacobsen, Thoughts on John’s Gospel, Vestal 1987