Who

The Apostle John to Jewish Unbelievers in the early Church

Where & When

The Gospel of John was most likely written late in the development of the Church probably between AD 80 and AD 90, toward the end of John’s life and after the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem in AD 70. It was perhaps written from Ephesus where John took over as apostle-overseer of the churches in Asia Minor (modern day Turkey)—of which Ephesus was among those churches—after the apostles scattered at the start of the Jewish War with Rome in AD 66 – 70. Now that the Temple was destroyed, which was the primary signal that the offer of restoration of corporate Israel was temporarily off the table until the fullness of the Gentiles would be ushered in (Romans 11:25), John writes his gospel appealing to his Jewish brothers to believe in Jesus as the true Messiah and the only true God, especially now that they now live in an indefinite exile.

Why

To appeal to Jewish unbelievers who now live in a perpetual exile after the destruction of the Temple in AD 70 to believe that Jesus is God in man’s flesh and that He lived out Israel’s history in His life, qualifying Him to be the true Messiah for Israel and the world.

How

Be paying attention to these important terms that occur in this book:

  • Titles of Jesus (e.g., Son of God, Son of Man, Son of David, the Messiah)
  • The Holy Spirit
  • “I AM” Statements
  • Light
  • Life
  • Truth
  • Believe (or Faith)
  • Testify (or Testimony, Witness)
  • Signs (or Wonders)
  • Love
  • Glory (or Honor)

Literary Outline

John focuses on key moments in Jesus’ life that picture Israel and her history chronologically to prove the genuineness of Jesus’ Messiahship. Jesus’ “I AM” statements also appear neatly throughout the various sections below, reflecting that Jesus does not only accord one and the same with “YAHWEH” (the Great “I AM”), but demonstrating that He IS what Israel should have been:

  • John 1:1 – 3:36 Creation
  • John 4:1 – 5:47 The Patriarchs
  • John 6:1 – 8:59 The Wilderness
  • John 9:1 – 12:50 The Monarchy and Prophets
  • John 13:1 – 17:26 The New Covenant
  • John 18:1 – 20:31 Salvation
  • John 21:1–25 The Purpose and Power of Christ’s Ministry