JESUS: THE WORD

The Gospel of John begins with: “In the beginning was the Word and the Word way with God, and the Word was God”. What does John mean by the Word? The Word is Jesus the Messiah (which translated is “Christ”). John continues with: “He (Jesus) was in the beginning with God”. John tells us that Jesus was always- in the beginning, today, in the future, and forever. These two Scripture verses in the Gospel of John are just a small example of how John’s Gospel takes a different perspective than does the other three gospel books. The major difference seems to be in the way John completely describes Jesus and what we should do to really know and believe in Him.

What follows is a close look at Jesus, as described by the Apostle John, the Disciple whom “Jesus loved”. Certainly, it is my strong recommendation to read and study the entire Book of the Gospel of John. Until then, here are several (19 areas) that may benefit in providing a strong incentive to undergo that study.

1. John 1:14- “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten Son from the Father, full of grace and truth”.

“The Word became human “, by doing so Christ became 1) the perfect teacher- in Jesus’  we life how God thinks and therefore how we should think (Philippians 2:5-11; 2) the perfect example- as a model of what we are to become, He shows us how to live and fives us the power to live that way (1 Peter 2:21); 3) the perfect sacrifice- Jesus came as a sacrifice for all sins, and His death satisfied God’s requirements for the removal of sin (Colossians 1;15-23). “The Father’s one and only Son” means Jesus is God’s only and unique Son. The emphasis is on unique. Jesus is one of a kind and enjoys a relationship with God. He is unlike all believers who are called “children of God”.

When Jesus was conceived, God became man. He was not part man and part God; He was completely human and completely divine (Colossians 2:9). Before Christ came, people could know God partially. After Christ came, people could know God fully because He became visible and tangible in Christ. Christ is the perfect expression of God in human form. The two most common errors people make about Jesus are to minimize His humanity or to minimize His divinity Jesus is both God and man.

 

2. John 3:16- “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, but that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”

The message of the Good News comes to focus in this verse. God’s love is not static or self-centered, it reaches out and draws others in. Here God sets the pattern of true love, the basis for all love relationships. When you love someone dearly, you are willing to give freely to the point of self-sacrifice. God paid dearly with the life of His Son, the highest price He could pay. Jesus accepted our punishment, paid the price for our sins, and then offered us the new life He had bought for us. When we share the Good News with others, our love must be like Jesus- willingly give up our own comfort and security so that others might join us in receiving God’s love.

 

3. John 5:26-27- “For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself; and He gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man.”

God is the source and Creator of life, for there is no life apart from raised God, here or hereafter. The life in us is a gift from Him (Deut. 30:20; Psalm 36:9). 7:13-14). Because Jesus is eternally existent with God, the Creator, He, too, is John “the life” (14;6) through whom we may live eternally (1 John 5:11).

The Old Testament mentioned three signs of the coming Messiah. In this chapter, John shows that Jesus had fulfilled all three signs. Authority to judge is given to Him as Son of Man (5:20-21; Daniel 7:13-14). The lame and sick are healed (5:20-21; Isaiah 35:6; Jeremiah 31:8-9). The dead are raised to life (5:21, 28; Deut. 32:39; 1 Samuel 2:6; 2 Kings 5-7).

 

4. John 6:53-58 – “So Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also will live because of Me. This is the bread which came down out of heaven; not as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live forever.”

Verse 51 seems to say a very confusing statement, Jesus is quoted as saying that the bread to eat is His flesh. How can Jesus give us His flesh as bread to eat? Then in verses 53-58, Jesus fully explains. It really means to accept Christ into our lives and become united with Him. We are united with Christ in two ways: 1) by believing in His death (the sacrifice of His flesh) and resurrection; and 2) by devoting ourselves to living as He requires, depending on His teaching for guidance and trusting in the Holy Spirit for power,

This was a shocking message- to eat flesh and drink blood sounds cannibalistic. Of

course, Jesus was not talking about literal blood. He was saying that His life had to

become their own, but they could not accept this concept. The Gospel writers as well

as the Apostle Paul used the body and blood imagery in talking about The Lord’s

Supper (1 Corinthians 11: 23-26). This is one of the strongest statements that Jesus

made. It is the basis for and establishes what we know as and celebrate as the Lord’s

Supper.

5. John 6:65- “And He was saying, for this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father”.

All spiritual renewal begins and ends with God. He reveals truth to us, lives within us, and then enables us to respond to that truth. Jesus is telling us in this verse that not only did God send Jesus but all His authority comes from God.

6. John 7:28-29- “Jesus cried out in the temple, teaching and saying, ‘you both know Me and know where I am from; and I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know.” “I know Him, because I am from Him, and He sent Me.”

This was Jesus’ response to the questioning and discussing by people in Jerusalem

who were asking- “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill? Could our leaders possibly

believe that He is the Messiah”. Then they said that is it not likely because we know

where this man is from. They not only had a misconception about Jesus but also how

He would appear. They said they thought that the Messiah would simply appear and

not roam the area. Jesus then cleared this up with His words in these two verses.

7. John 8:12- “Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”

Jesus was speaking in the Treasury- the part of the Temple where the offerings

were put (8:20) and where candles burned to symbolize the pillar of fire that led the

people of Israel through the wildness (Exodus 13:21-22). In this context, Jesus called

Himself the Light of the world. The pillar of fire represented God’s presence,

protection, and guidance. Likewise, Jesus brings God’s presence, protection, and

guidance.

What does it mean to follow Christ? As a soldier follows his captain, so we should

follow Christ, our commander. As we follow the advice of a trusted counselor, so we

should follow Jesus’ commands to us in Scripture. As we follow the laws of our nation,

so we should follow the laws of the Kingdom of Heaven.

8. John 8:19- “Jesus answered, ‘Since you don’t know who I am, you don’t know who My Father is. If you know Me, you would also know My Father.”

This is a very telling verse. It gives us a strong view of who God is and how to

better know God. This was the answer Jesus gave when the Pharisees asked Him- “where is your Father?”

9. John 8:29- “And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him”.

God was always with Jesus while He was on earth. Jesus’ teachings, actions, and

talks were always to please God. John records and makes it clear that Jesus said that

Jesus is from God.

10. John 9:5- “While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.”

This tells us at least two important things: 1) Jesus is the way out of darkness

(sin and bad behavior) became He is the Light that shines for us; and 2) Jesus is the

Light while He is on earth as 100% man and 100% God. Indicates that something

else will come to help when Jesus is no longer on earth. Of course, this is the Holy

Spirit.

11. John 9:31- “We know God doesn’t listen to sinners, but He is ready to hear those who worship Him and do His will.”

The blind man’s new faith (the man identified beginning in verse 9:13) was

severely tested by some of the authorities. He was cursed and evicted from the

synagogue. Persecution may come when we follow Jesus. We may lose friends, we

may even lose our life. But no one can ever take away the eternal life that Jesus

gives us.

12. John 10:9- “I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find   pasture”.

Jesus had just told the parable of the Good Shepherd. Those who heard this

parable didn’t understand it. Jesus’ answer included saying that He was the gate for

the sheep (believers) and that the sheep would only listen to a “voice” they knew.

Then is verse 9 what Jesus says is not only that He is a gate but He is the “only” gate-

or way that leads to salvation. Then He says that those who enters His gate can go

freely.

13. John 10:17-18- “For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so, that I may take it again. No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.”

Jesus’ death and resurrection, as part of God’s plan for the salvation of

the world, were under God’s full control. No one could kill Jesus without His consent.

14. John 10:27-29- “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.”

Just as a shepherd protects his sheep, Jesus protects His people from

eternal harm. While believers can expect to suffer on earth. Satan cannot harm their

souls or take away their eternal life with God! There are many reasons to be afraid

here on earth because this is the devil’s domain (1 Peter 5:8). But if you choose to

follow Jesus, He will give you everlasting safety.

15. John 10:30- “I and My Father are one.”

This is the clearest statement of Jesus’ divinity He ever made. Jesus and His

Father are not the same person, but they are one in essence and nature! Thus, Jesus

is not merely a good teacher- He is God! His claim to be God was unmistakable. The

religious leaders wanted to kill Him because their laws said that anyone claiming to

be God should die. Nothing could persuade them that Jesus’ claim was true.

16. John 11:25-26- “Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies. And everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this, Martha?”

Jesus was talking to Martha when He came to Bethany, the village of Mary and

Martha, to raise Lazarus from the dead. Jesus has power over life and death as well

as power to forgive sins. This because He is the Creator of life (14:6). He who is life

can surely restore life. Whoever believes in Christ has a spiritual life that death

cannot conquer or diminish in any way. When we realize His power and how

wonderful His offer to us really is, how can we not commit our lives to Him? To

those of us who believe, what wonderful assurance and certainly we have: “Since I

live, you too will live.” (14:19).

17. John 14:6- “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, No one can come to the Father except through Me.”

Jesus says He is the only way to God the Father. Some people may argue that this way is too narrow. In reality, it is wide enough for the whole world, if the world chooses to accept it. Instead of worrying about how limited it sounds to have only one way, we should be saying, “Thank you, God, for providing a sure way to get to you!” As the Way, Jesus is our path to the Father. As the Truth, He is the reality of all God’s promises. As the Life, He joins His divine life to ours, both now and eternally. Jesus is, in truth, the only living way to the Father.

18. John 14:15-20- “If you love Me, obey My commandments. And I will ask My Father, and He will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive Him, because it isn’t looking for Him and doesn’t recognize Him. But you will know Him, because He lives with you now and later will be in you. No, I will not abandon you as orphans- I will come to you. Soon the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me. Since I live, you also will live. When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you.”

Jesus was soon going to leave the disciples, but He would remain with them. How could this be? The Advocate- The Spirit of God- would come after Jesus was gone to care for and guide the disciples. The regenerating power of the Spirit came on the disciples just before Jesus’ ascension (20:22), and the Spirit was poured out on all the believers at Pentecost (Acts 2), shortly after Jesus ascended to heaven. The Holy Spirit is the very presence of God within us and all believers, helping us live as God wants and building Christ’s church on earth. By faith we can appropriate the Spirit’s power each day.

The word translated “Advocate” combines the ideas of comfort and counsel. The Word could also be translated Comforter, Encourager, or Counselor. The

Holy Spirit is a powerful person on our side, working for and with us. The following

chapters of the Gospel of John teach truths about the Holy Spirit. To really

understand the power of the Holy Spirit, one should study the rest of the Gospel

of John. Many people are unaware of the Holy Spirit’s activities, but to those who

hear Christ’s words and understand the Spirit’s power, the Spirit gives a whole

new way to look at life. So, Jesus was promising the Holy Spirit in these verses.

19. John 16:5-15- Verses 12 and 13 tell us one of keys of these verses: “There is so much more I want to tell you, but you can’t bear it now. When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on His own but will tell you what He has heard. He will tell you about the future.”

Here Jesus teaches about the Holy Spirit. Although the disciples had asked Jesus about His death (13:36; 14:5), they wondered about its meaning. Unless Jesus did what He came to do, there would be no Good News. If He did not die, He could not remove our sins, He could not rise again and defeat death. If He did not go back to the Father, the Holy Spirit would not come. Christ’s presence on earth was limited to one place at a time. His leaving meant He could be present to the whole world through the Holy Spirit.

Three important tasks of the Holy Spirit are: 1) convicting the world of its sin and calling it to repentance, 2) revealing the standard of God’s righteousness to anyone who believes, because Christ would no longer be physically present on earth, and 3) demonstrating Christ’s judgment over Satan. The truth into which the Holy Spirit guides us is the truth about Christ. The Spirit also helps us through patient practice to discern right from wrong. The Holy Spirit revealed truths to the disciples that they wrote down in the books that now form the New Testament.

 

Clearly there are many verses that are just as important. The selection of

these 19 verses and the information are those that speak well to show how the Gospel

of John gives us a different perspective from the other three Gospels. This is not to

indicate that John’s Gospel is better- only different in its total view of Jesus’ life and

purpose. So many times, the Gospel of John is given to people to inform them of the

wonders of Jesus Christ and many are led to a saving grace in our Lord. This book is an

outstanding look at what Jesus means to us and what He meant to John.