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"THAT YOU MAY BELIEVE"
Introduction And Prologue
INTRODUCTION
1. John's purpose in writing his gospel is clearly stated in Jn
20:30-31...
a. To create faith in Jesus
b. That we might have life in His name
2. How does John create faith in his gospel?
a. Stating claims about Jesus in his prologue - Jn 1:1-18
b. Surveying the life of Jesus, with emphasis on claims made by Jesus
Himself
c. Presenting evidence to sustain such claims
3. With this lesson we begin a series of studies on the gospel of John,
with the goal...
a. To strengthen our own faith
b. To create faith in others who have yet to believe
4. In this lesson we shall consider the prologue and the claims made by
John about Jesus...
a. For those who already accept Jesus as the Christ, this should help
increase our understanding and appreciation of Jesus
b. For those who may not yet believe in Him, this lesson should set
the stage for studies to come
5. Let's begin by reading Jn 1:1-18...
a. Jesus is not mentioned by name until verse 17
b. But it is clear that the "Word" is none other than Jesus Christ!
[Throughout this prologue, John makes several claims about Jesus. These
claims illustrate Jesus' relation to various things...]
I. THE RELATION OF JESUS TO DEITY (1-2)
A. JESUS EXISTED BEFORE THE CREATION...
1. "In the beginning was the Word"
2. The word was suggests His being eternal
B. JESUS HAD A "FACE-TO-FACE" RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD...
1. "the Word was with God"
2. The word with implies a personal communion with God
C. JESUS POSSESSED THE FULNESS OF DEITY...
1. "the Word was God"
2. He possessed divine being, power, and attributes; i.e., Jesus
was deity!
[When you sum up these attributes (eternal, personal, deity), then in
relation to deity Jesus is "the essence of God", or "express image of
God" (cf. He 1:3). We next note...]
II. THE RELATION OF JESUS TO THE PHYSICAL WORLD (3)
A. JESUS WAS THE ACTIVE AGENT OF CREATION...
1. "all things were made through Him"
2. "without Him nothing was made that was made"
B. JESUS MADE ALL THINGS...
1. "by Him all things were created..." - Col 1:16
2. "through whom (the Son) also He (the Father) made the worlds"
- He 1:2
[In relation to the physical world, John (and others) proclaim Jesus to
be "the Creator". What an amazing claim! But the claims regarding
Jesus continue...]
III. THE RELATION OF JESUS TO THE MORAL WORLD (4)
A. JESUS IS THE GIVER OF LIFE...
1. "in Him was life"
2. In the moral or spiritual realm, Jesus came to offer life - cf.
Jn 10:10
B. JESUS IS THE SOURCE OF LIGHT...
1. "and the life was the light of men"
2. As the giver of life, He is the source of "light" to men in a
morally dark world - cf. Jn 8:12
[In relation to the moral world, then, John proclaims Jesus to be "the
life and the light". The impact of Jesus on the moral world is
described even further...]
IV. THE RELATION OF JESUS TO DARKNESS (5,9)
A. JESUS CHALLENGES MORAL DARKNESS...
1. "the light shines in the darkness"
2. As true spiritual light, Jesus came to challenge the moral
darkness in this world
B. JESUS WAS VICTORIOUS OVER THE DARKNESS...
1. "the darkness did not comprehend it"
2. That is, the darkness could not overpower the light
3. By believing in Jesus, those in darkness were able to escape
- cf. Jn 12:46
4. Thus Jesus is the "true Light" who gives light to all - Jn 1:9
[So in relation to darkness, John makes the claim that Jesus is "the
challenger and victor". Next, he describes...]
V. THE RELATION OF JESUS TO HUMANITY (10-13)
A. JESUS WAS THE CREATOR...
1. "the world was made through Him"
2. Here the "world" refers to humankind
B. JESUS WAS THE BENEFACTOR...
1. Who was "in the world...the world did not know Him"
a. "He came to His own" - that is, to His own nation, people
(Israel)
b. "His own did not receive Him" - rejected by His nation, even
members of His own family were skeptical (until after the
resurrection) - cf. Jn 7:5; Mk 3:21; Ac 1:14
2. "But as many as received Him"
a. I.e., "to those who believe in His name"
b. "To them He gave the right to become children of God"
c. They were blessed to be "born...of God" - cf. Jn 3:5-7
[Therefore in relation to humanity, Jesus is presented as "the creator
and benefactor". John then reveals...]
VI. THE RELATION OF JESUS TO THE FATHER (14,18)
A. JESUS BECAME FLESH...
1. As the Word, Jesus "became flesh"
a. He "dwelt among us"
b. John and others "beheld His glory"
2. He was "the only begotten of the Father"
B. JESUS ALONE HAS SEEN AND CAN REVEAL THE FATHER...
1. "No one has seen God at any time" - cf. Exo 33:20; Jn 6:46;
1Jn 4:12
2. But "He has declared Him" - cf. Jn 14:9; Mt 11:27
[In relation to the Father, Jesus is the ultimate "revelation" one can have
of God in this life! Finally, John makes mention of...]
VII. THE RELATION OF JESUS TO GRACE AND TRUTH (14,16-17)
A. JESUS WAS ITS FULNESS...
1. "full of grace and truth"
2. Because His "glory as of the only begotten of the Father"
B. JESUS GAVE ITS FULNESS...
1. "of His fulness we have all received, and grace for grace"
2. pleroma (fullness) - "that which is completed, i.e., the
complement, the full tale, the entire number or quantity, the
plentitude, the perfection" - Lightfoot
3. In Jesus, then, is the fullness of God's grace and truth for
mankind - cf. Jn 14:6; Col 1:19-22
CONCLUSION
1. Such are the claims made by John in the prologue of his gospel...
a. In relation to deity, Jesus is the essence of God
b. In relation to the physical world, Jesus is the creator
c. In relation to the moral world, Jesus is the life and light
d. In relation to darkness, Jesus is challenger and victor
e. In relation to humanity, Jesus is creator and benefactor
f. In relation to the Father, Jesus is revelation
g. In relation to grace and truth, Jesus is fulness
2. In our next three lessons, we shall consider the claims made by Jesus
Himself, involving...
a. His relation to God
b. His relation to the Messianic hope
c. His relation to human needs
3. Then, in three lessons we shall consider the evidence...
a. Presented by John in his gospel
b. Intended to support these claims
4. Finally, a lesson to note why many did not believe in Jesus even when
He lived among them
In view of the magnitude of these claims, do we dare ignore them? If
they are true, then we must believe on Him if we are to truly find
eternal life...!
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Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2009
