(8/17/21) How To Read John's Gospel - Bible Study
How to Read John
Passage: John’s Gospel
What are the two greatest commandments? Jesus tells us…
And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” Matt. 22:37-40
It is helpful when Jesus tells you how to sum up all of the Law and the Prophets. When we come to the conclusions of what to apply in scripture, we will quickly find that these two principles become the driving point of the narrative of the Bible. Why should we love God? Because He first loved us (1 John 4:19). Why do we love our neighbor? Because it is an our pouring of the love we have received (1 John 4:20).
When we engage God’s word, we will see these two themes repeated over and over. Here is the God you can trust, the God who loves you, gave His Son for you, grants you endless mercy and grace. Now in grace, share this love and grace to others.
John gives us the reason for his letter at the end of his letter:
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. John 20:30-31
When the author tells you how to apply what he has written, we should pay special attention to this helpful tool. When you engage in the book of John, approach it as it was designed to be consumed, to strengthen your faith in Jesus and His salvation of sinners.
QUESTION: How is this helpful in guiding your understanding of John? What methods have you used in the past that only brought confusion or discouragement?
Jesus, later on, references the Old Testament when dealing with a religious crowed who rejects His claim to be God,
You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me. John 5:39
Jesus pointed to the heart of the problem. They were reading the Old Testament to find their salvation within the system (the Law), and Jesus says, your looking at it all wrong. I’m the point of what was written. It was talking about me!
QUESTION: Do you find it hard to see Jesus in the OT? How have you been trained to read the OT?
QUESTION: What seems to be the typical application when you hear a passage used from the OT?
In just the opening chapter, John points to Jesus as the fulfillment of the OT just by how the disciples spoke about Jesus:
1) Witness of John the Baptist, vv. 19-36
Redeemer of man (v. 29) “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
2) Witness of Andrew, vv. 37-42
Jesus is the Messiah [Christ] (v. 41)“We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ).
3) Witness of Philip, vv. 43-46
Jesus is the fulfillment of Old Testament (v. 45) “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
4) Witness of Nathanael, vv. 47-51
Jesus is Son of God, King of Israel (v. 49) “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”
John helps us see how faithful God is to keep his promise to save sinners. Our love grows for God verse after verse when we see grace on display. The command to love others is not a burden but joy because it comes from the very love we have learned about from John’s letter.
These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. John 15:11
Where is this joy found? When we give the love of God to others. In John’s letter, he proves to us that we should consume his writings to see the goodness of God, to believe it, to find rest and joy, and then give it away. If you read John’s letter and walk away with fear, doubt, or anxiety, you have not understood it rightly.
Read John’s letter to be encouraged in the faithfulness of God who loves you. Look to Jesus for comfort and hope. Look to his compassion for sinners and unfaithful disciples. Look to his scars to find peace and hope.
QUESTION: What have you found most helpful about hearing John’s gospel preached and reading from this perspective?
Praise, Prayer and Confession:
• What can you offer to the Father in praise?
• What is a sin you need to confess?
• What is a burden we can carry?
• What can we take to our Father in prayer?