The MacArthur Study Bible, NKJV
Page 515
The apologetic purpose is closely related to the evangelistic purpose. John wrote to convince his readers of Jesus’ true identity as the incarnate God-Man whose divine and human natures were perfectly united into one person who was the prophesied Christ (“Messiah”) and Savior of the world (e.g., 1:41; 3:16; 4:25, 26; 8:58). He organized his whole gospel around 8 “signs” or proofs that reinforce Jesus’ true identity leading to faith. The first half of his work centers around 7 miraculous signs selected to reveal Christ’s person and engender belief: 1) water made into wine (2:1–11); 2) the healing of the royal official’s son (4:46–54); 3) the healing of the lame man (5:1–18); 4) the feeding of a multitude (6:1–15); 5) walking on water (6:16–21); 6) healing of the blind man (9:1–41); and 7) the raising of Lazarus (11:1–57). The eighth sign is the miraculous catch of fish (21:6–11) after Jesus’ resurrection.
Historical and Theological Themes
In accordance with John’s evangelistic and apologetic purposes, the overall message of the gospel is found in 20:31: “Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.” The book, therefore, centers on the person and work of Christ. Three predominant words (“signs,” “believe,” and “life”) in 20:30, 31 receive constant reemphasis throughout the gospel to enforce the theme of salvation in Him, which is first set forth in the prologue (1:1–18; cf. 1 John 1:1–4) and re-expressed throughout the gospel in varying ways (e.g., 6:35, 48; 8:12; 10:7, 9; 10:11–14; 11:25; 14:6; 17:3). In addition, John provides the record of how men responded to Jesus Christ and the salvation that He offered. Summing up, the gospel focuses on: 1) Jesus as the Word, the Messiah, and Son of God; 2) who brings the gift of salvation to mankind; 3) who either accept or reject the offer.
John also presents certain contrastive sub-themes that reinforce his main theme. He uses dualism (life and death, light and darkness, love and hate, from above and from below) to convey vital information about the person and work of Christ and the need to believe in Him (e.g., 1:4, 5, 12, 13; 3:16-21; 12:44-46; 15:17-20).
There are also 7 emphatic “I AM” statements which identify Jesus as God and Messiah (6:35; 8:12; 10:7, 9; 10:11, 14; 11:25; 14:6; 15:1, 5).
Interpretive Challenges
Because John composed his record in a clear and simple style, one might tend to underestimate the depth of this gospel. Since John’s gospel is a “spiritual” gospel (see Authorship and Date), the truths he conveys are profound. The reader must prayerfully and meticulously explore the book, in order to discover the vast richness of the spiritual treasures that the apostle, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit (14:26; 16:13), has lovingly deposited in his gospel.
The chronological reckoning between John’s gospel and the synoptics presents a challenge, especially in relation to the time of the Last Supper (13:2). While the synoptics portray the disciples and the Lord at the Last Supper as eating the Passover meal on Thursday evening (Nisan 14) and Jesus being crucified on Friday, John’s gospel states that the Jews did not enter into the Praetorium “lest they should be defiled, but that they might eat the Passover” (18:28). So, the disciples had eaten the Passover on Thursday evening, but the Jews had not. In fact, John (19:14) states that Jesus’ trial and crucifixion were on the day of Preparation for the Passover and not after the eating of the Passover, so that with the trial and crucifixion on Friday Christ was actually sacrificed at the same time the Passover lambs were being slain (19:14). The question is, “Why did the disciples eat the Passover meal on Thursday?”
The answer lies in a difference among the Jews in the way they reckoned the beginning and ending of days. From Josephus, the Mishna, and other ancient Jewish sources we learn that the Jews in northern Palestine calculated days from sunrise to sunrise. That area included the region of Galilee, where Jesus and all the disciples, except Judas, had grown up. Apparently most, if not all, of the Pharisees used that system of reckoning. But Jews in the southern part, which centered in Jerusalem, calculated days from sunset to sunset. Because all the priests necessarily lived in or near Jerusalem, as did most of the Sadducees, those groups followed the southern scheme.
That variation doubtlessly caused confusion at times, but it also had some practical benefits. During Passover time, for instance, it allowed for the feast to be celebrated legitimately on two adjoining days, thereby permitting the temple sacrifices to be made over a total period of four hours rather than two. That separation of days may also have had the effect of reducing both regional and religious clashes between the two groups.
On that basis the seeming contradictions in the gospel accounts are easily explained. Being Galileans, Jesus and the disciples considered Passover day to have started at sunrise on Thursday and to end at sunrise on Friday. The Jewish leaders who arrested and tried Jesus, being mostly priests and Sadducees, considered Passover day to begin at sunset on Thursday and end at sunset on Friday. By that variation, predetermined by God’s sovereign provision, Jesus could thereby legitimately celebrate the last Passover meal with His disciples and yet still be sacrificed on Passover day.
Once again one can see how God sovereignly and marvelously provides for the precise fulfillment of His redemptive plan. Jesus was anything but a victim of men’s wicked schemes, much less of blind circumstance. Every word He spoke and every action He took were divinely directed and secured. Even the words and actions by others against Him were divinely controlled. See, e.g., 11:49-52; 19:11.
Outline
I. The Incarnation of the Son of God (1:1-18)
A. His Eternality (1:1, 2)
B. His Pre-incarnate Work (1:3-5)
C. His Forerunner (1:6-8)
D. His Rejection (1:9-11)
E. His Reception (1:12, 13)
F. His Deity (1:14-18)
II. The Presentation of the Son of God (1:19-4:54)
A. Presentation by John the Baptist (1:19-34)
1. To the religious leaders (1:19–28)
2. At Christ’s baptism (1:29–34)
B. Presentation to John’s Disciples (1:35-51)
1. Andrew and Peter (1:35–42)
2. Philip and Nathanael (1:43–51)
C. Presentation in Galilee (2:1-12)
1. First sign: water to wine (2:1–10)
2. Disciples believe (2:11, 12)
D. Presentation in Judea (2:13-3:36)
1. Cleansing the temple (2:13–25)
2. Teaching Nicodemus (3:1–21)
3. Preaching by John the Baptist (3:22–36)
E. Presentation in Samaria (4:1-42)
1. Witness to the Samaritan woman (4:1–26)
2. Witness to the disciples (4:27–38)
3. Witness to the Samaritans (4:39–42)
F. Presentation in Galilee (4:43-54)
1. Reception by the Galileans (4:43–45)
2. Second sign: healing the nobleman’s son (4:46–54)
III. The Opposition to the Son of God (5:1-12:50)
A. Opposition at the Feast in Jerusalem (5:1-47)
1. Third sign: healing the paralytic (5:1–9)
2. Rejection by the Jews (5:10–47)
B. Opposition During Passover (6:1-71)
1. Fourth sign: feeding the 5,000 (6:1–14)
2. Fifth sign: walking on water (6:15–21)
3. Bread of Life discourse (6:22–71)
C. Opposition at the Feast of Tabernacles (7:1-10:21)
1. The opposition (7:1—8:59)
2. Sixth sign (9:1—10:21)
D. Opposition at the Feast of Dedication (10:22-42)
E. Opposition at Bethany (11:1-12:11)
1. Seventh sign: raising of Lazarus (11:1–44)
2. Pharisees plot to kill Christ (11:45–57)
3. Mary anointing Christ (12:1–11)
F. Opposition in Jerusalem (12:12-50)
1. The triumphal entry (12:12–22)
2. The discourse on faith and rejection (12:23–50)
IV. The Preparation of the Disciples by the Son of God (13:1-17:26)
A. In the Upper Room (13
:1-14:31)
1. Washing feet (13:1–20)
2. Announcing the betrayal (13:21–30)
3. Discourse on Christ’s departure (13:31—14:31)
B. On the Way to the Garden (15:1-17:26)
1. Instructing the disciples (15:1—16:33)
2. Interceding with the Father (17:1–26)
V. The Execution of the Son of God (18:1-19:37)
A. The Rejection of Christ (18:1-19:16)
1. His arrest (18:1–11)
2. His trials (18:12—19:16)
B. The Crucifixion of Christ (19:17-37)
VI. The Resurrection of the Son of God (19:38-21:23)
A. The Burial of Christ (19:38-42)
B. The Resurrection of Christ (20:1-10)
C. The Appearances of Christ (20:11-21:23)
1. To Mary Magdalene (20:11–18)
2. To the disciples without Thomas (20:19–25)
3. To the disciples with Thomas (20:26–29)
4. Statement of purpose for the Gospel (20:30, 31)
5. To the disciples (21:1–14)
6. To Peter (21:15–23)
VII. Conclusion (21:24, 25)
The Gospel According to
JOHN
John 1
The Eternal Word
(Gen. 1:1—2:3)
1In the beginning awas the Word, and the bWord was cwith God, and the Word was dGod.
2eHe was in the beginning with God.
3fAll things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.
4gIn Him was life, and hthe life was the light of men.
5And ithe light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not 1comprehend it.
John’s Witness: The True Light
6There was a jman sent from God, whose name was John.
7This man came for a kwitness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might lbelieve.
8He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that mLight.
9nThat2 was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.
10He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and othe world did not know Him.
11pHe came to His 3own, and His 4own did not receive Him.
12But qas many as received Him, to them He gave the 5right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
13rwho were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
The Word Becomes Flesh
14sAnd the Word tbecame uflesh and dwelt among us, and vwe beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, wfull of grace and truth.
15xJohn bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, y‘He who comes after me 6is preferred before me, zfor He was before me.’ ”
167And of His afullness we have all received, and grace for grace.
17For bthe law was given through Moses, but cgrace and dtruth came through Jesus Christ.
18eNo one has seen God at any time. fThe only begotten 8Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.
A Voice in the Wilderness
(Matt. 3:1–12; Mark 1:1–8; Luke 3:1–20)
19Now this is gthe testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”
20hHe confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.”
21And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you ithe Prophet?” And he answered, “No.”
22Then they said to him, “Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?”
23He said: j“I am
k‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
“Make straight the way of the LORD,” ’
as the prophet Isaiah said.”
24Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees.
25And they asked him, saying, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
26John answered them, saying, l“I baptize with water, mbut there stands One among you whom you do not know.
27n“It is He who, coming after me, 9is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.”
28These things were done oin 10Bethabara beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
The Lamb of God
(Matt. 3:13–17; Mark 1:9–11; Luke 3:21, 22)
29The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! pThe Lamb of God qwho takes away the sin of the world!
30“This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who 11is preferred before me, for He was before me.’
31“I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, rtherefore I came baptizing with water.”
32sAnd John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him.
33“I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, tthis is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’
34“And I have seen and testified that this is the uSon of God.”
The First Disciples
35Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples.
36And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, v“Behold the Lamb of God!”
37The two disciples heard him speak, and they wfollowed Jesus.
38Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, “What do you seek?” They said to Him, “Rabbi” (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), “where are You staying?”
39He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour).
40One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was xAndrew, Simon Peter’s brother.
41He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the 12Messiah” (which is translated, the Christ).
42And he brought him to Jesus. Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, “You are Simon the son of 13Jonah. yYou shall be called Cephas” (which is translated, 14A Stone).
Philip and Nathanael
43The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found zPhilip and said to him, “Follow Me.”
44Now aPhilip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.
45Philip found bNathanael and said to him, “We have found Him of whom cMoses in the law, and also the dprophets, wrote—Jesus eof Nazareth, the fson of Joseph.”
46And Nathanael said to him, g“Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”
47Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, “Behold, han Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!”
48Nathanael said to Him, “How do You know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”
49Nathanael answered and said to Him, “Rabbi, iYou are the Son of God! You are jthe King of Israel!”
50Jesus answered and said to him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.”
51And He said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, khereafter15 you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”
John 2
Water Turned to Wine
1On the third day there was a awedding in bCana of Galilee, and the cmother of Jesus was there.
2Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding.
3And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.”
4Jesus said to her, d“Woman, ewhat does your concern have to do with Me? fMy hour has not yet come.”
5His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” The Eight Signs
6Now there were set there
six waterpots of stone, gaccording to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece.
7Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim.
8And He said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.” And they took it.
9When the master of the feast had tasted hthe water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom.
10And he said to him, “Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!”
11This ibeginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, jand 1manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.
12After this He went down to kCapernaum, He, His mother, lHis brothers, and His disciples; and they did not stay there many days.
Jesus Cleanses the Temple
(Matt. 21:12–17; Mark 11:15–19; Luke 19:45–48)
13mNow the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
14nAnd He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers 2doing business.
15When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables.
16And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make oMy Father’s house a house of merchandise!”
17Then His disciples remembered that it was written, p“Zeal for Your house 3has eaten Me up.”
18So the Jews answered and said to Him, q“What sign do You show to us, since You do these things?”
19Jesus answered and said to them, r“Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
20Then the Jews said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?”
21But He was speaking sof the temple of His body.
22Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, tHis disciples remembered that He had said this 4to them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said.