Matthew

John

LeRoy Eims

The purpose of the gospel of John is simply stated. "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" (John 20:31).

To accomplish this purpose John included many things that the other writers left out and excluded much of what the others said. The style of this gospel is simple, but the thought is profound. It sets forth the deity of Jesus Christ as a basis of our faith to meet our spiritual needs. He did not write for a particular class of people as did the other writers. He wrote for all of us.

John's specific purpose explains why he does not record the facts relative to the birth and early life of our Lord. Instead of giving a genealogy, he says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God." (John 1:1‑4)

I remember that I was a bit confused by those words when I was still a new Christian. "In the beginning was the Word." What did that mean? "And the Word was with God and the Word was God." How could the word be God and at the same time be with God?

And then, still speaking of the Word, John says, "All things were made by Him." Was this word a person? I was confused.

Then I saw how verse 14 tied the whole thing together and brought beautiful meaning to it all. "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14). Jesus Christ was the Word; the visible expression of God. He was eternal, with God in the beginning and the creator of all things.

Later Paul wrote, "In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins; who is the image of the invisible God, the first born of all creation; for by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers ‑ all things were created by him, and for him" (Colossians 1:14‑16).

That the divinity of Jesus Christ is here distinctly declared cannot be denied. The same truth was declared by Christ Himself. He said, "I and the Father are one." "He who hath seen me hath seen the Father." He permitted others to state the same thing. When Peter said, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God," he did not deny it. If He knew Himself to be other than the divine Son of God, He would have corrected the others when they said it.

In presenting Jesus as the Son of God, John records eight miracles. It is interesting which miracles John includes to achieve the purpose of his book. Let me illustrate. Who records the raising of Lazarus from the dead? John, of course. Dead for four days, and at the command of the Son of God he rose up and came out of the tomb. "And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes; and his face was bound about with a cloth. Jesus said unto them, Loose him, and let him go." (John 11:44)

The result? "Then many of the Jews who came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him." (John 11:45)

When Lazarus rose from the dead many of the Jews believed in Him. When He restored the sight of the man born blind, the man's response was, "He said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him" (John 9:38)

It becomes clear as we study the events John records that they are in direct line with the objective of his book. “And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book; 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." (John 20:30,31)

This gospel meets the spiritual needs of the soul of every man, Jew, Greek and Roman. To achieve this objective John records Christ's teaching on the new birth; Christ the water and bread of life. He is shown to be the light of the world, the way, the truth, the vine, the resurrection and the life.

The divinity of Christ appears in His words and his works. These profound truths are not given in parables. John records none of the parables of Jesus. As you put it all together, the grand central theme shines forth with dramatic clarity. Jesus is the Son of God and the Savior of the world.

Study the gospel of John in this light and your soul will be refreshed and blessed, your faith deepened, and your life transformed by the Holy Spirit of God.