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Overview
The Gospel of John is filled with profound truths and rich spiritual stories. Stories of Christ's miracles that inspire His followers; stories of a death that redeems the lost; and stories of a resurrection that provides us with hope for eternal glory.
Pastor John MacArthur will take you through the fourth gospel account, passage by passage, so that you can better understand everything from its unique and urgent tone to the ways the apostle John makes his case for Christ's sovereignty and victory.
Every miracle, teaching, and action of Jesus that his disciple John captures in his Gospel has one clear purpose: to prove that Jesus is the Word, the Messiah, and the Son of God.
The dramatic milestones of Christ's ministry, as portrayed by John, have invited millions of believers throughout the ages into a saving faith with Jesus Christ, and will lead you into a deeper understanding of the ultimate story of Jesus, the Son of God.
—ABOUT THE SERIES—
The MacArthur Bible Study series is designed to help you study the Word of God with guidance from widely respected pastor and author John MacArthur. Each guide provides intriguing examinations of the whole of Scripture by examining its parts and incorporates:
- Extensive, but straight-forward commentary on the text.
- Detailed observations on overriding themes, timelines, history, and context.
- Word and phrase studies to help you unlock the broader meaning and apply it to your life.
- Probing, interactive questions with plenty of space to write down your response and thoughts.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780718035235 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | HarperChristian Resources |
| Publication date: | 11/03/2015 |
| Series: | MacArthur Bible Studies |
| Sold by: | HarperCollins Publishing |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 128 |
| File size: | 1 MB |
About the Author
Widely known for his thorough, candid approach to teaching God's Word, John MacArthur is a popular author and conference speaker. He has served as pastor-teacher of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, since 1969. John and his wife, Patricia, have four married children and fifteen grandchildren. John's pulpit ministry has been extended around the globe through his media ministry, Grace to You, and its satellite offices in seven countries. In addition to producing daily radio programs for nearly two thousand English and Spanish radio outlets worldwide, Grace to You distributes books, software, and digital recordings by John MacArthur. John is chancellor of The Master's University and Seminary and has written hundreds of books and study guides, each one biblical and practical. Bestselling titles include The Gospel According to Jesus, Twelve Ordinary Men, Twelve Extraordinary Women, Slave, and The MacArthur Study Bible, a 1998 ECPA Gold Medallion recipient.
Read an Excerpt
John
Jesus â" the Word, the Messiah, the Son of God
By John MacArthur
Thomas Nelson
Copyright © 2007 John F. MacArthur, Jr.All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-7180-3523-5
CHAPTER 1
The Incarnation of the Son of God
John 1:1–18
Drawing Near
Many opinions abound about who Jesus is. What are some of the more common ideas about the identity of Jesus held today that come to mind? _____________________________________________________________________
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Who do you believe Jesus is? Why?
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The Context
This rich theological passage constitutes what is known as the prologue to John's Gospel. It introduces many of the major themes that John will address, especially the main theme that "Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God" (vv. 12–14; cf. 20:31). Several key words repeated throughout the Gospel (for example, life, light, witness, glory) appear here for the first time. The remainder of the Gospel develops the theme of the prologue as to how the eternal "Word" of God, Jesus the Messiah and Son of God, became flesh and ministered among people so that all who believe in Him would be saved.
Although John wrote the prologue with the simplest vocabulary in the New Testament, the truths that the prologue conveys are the most profound. The prologue features six basic truths about Christ as the Son of God:
* The eternal Christ (vv. 1–3)
* The incarnate Christ (vv. 4–5)
* The forerunner of Christ (vv. 6–8)
* The unrecognized Christ (vv. 9–11) — that is, His rejection
* The omnipotent Christ (vv. 12–13)
* The glorious Christ (vv. 14–18) — that is, His deity
As you begin, ask God to open the spiritual eyes of your heart to the truth He wants you to see in this lesson.
Keys to the Text
Incarnation: A theological term for the coming of God's Son into the world as a human being. The term itself is not used in the Bible, but it is based on clear references in the New Testament to Jesus as a person "in the flesh." The Greek construction of the term "the Word" used in the Gospel of John emphasizes that the Word had all the essence or attributes of deity, i.e., Jesus the Messiah was fully God. Although in His incarnation Christ became fully man, He took only the outward appearance of sinful flesh, because He was completely without sin (Heb. 4:15). To know Jesus is to know God. This constant emphasis on Jesus as God incarnate is unmistakably clear in this Gospel.
Life, Light, Darkness: John introduces the reader to contrasting themes that occur throughout the Gospel. "Life" and "light" are qualities of the Word that are shared not only among the Godhead, but also by those who respond to the gospel message regarding Jesus Christ. John uses the word "life" about thirty-six times in his Gospel, far more than any other New Testament book. It refers not only in a broad sense to physical and temporal life that the Son imparted to the created world as the agent of creation, but especially to spiritual and eternal life imparted as a gift through belief in Him.
In Scripture, "light" and "darkness" are familiar symbols. John uses the term "darkness" fourteen times (eight in the Gospel and six in 1 John) out of its seventeen occurrences in the New Testament, making it almost an exclusive Johannine word. Intellectually, light refers to biblical truth while darkness refers to error or falsehood. Morally, light refers to holiness or purity while darkness refers to sin or wrongdoing.
Unleashing the Text
Read 1:1–18, noting the key words and definitions next to the passage.
John 1:1–18 (NKJV)
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.
4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
7 This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe.
8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
9 That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.
10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.
11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word became 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.
15 John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.' "
16 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.
17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.
1) What descriptions (titles and terms) does John use to introduce the person of Jesus Christ?
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2) What was John the Baptist's role? Why is he significant?
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3) According to John, how was the arrival of Christ into the New Testament world different from the coming of the law into the Old Testament world?
(Verses to consider: Rom. 3:19–20; Gal. 3:10–14)
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(Verses to consider: Rom. 3:19-20; Gal. 3:10–14)
Going Deeper
To gain a fuller picture of the uniqueness and deity of Christ, read the related passage of Colossians 1:13–20.
Exploring the Meaning
4) What does the Bible mean when it refers to darkness? To light?
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(Verses to consider: Ps. 119:105; Prov. 6:23; Rom. 13:11–14; 1 Thess. 5:4–7; 1 John 1:5–7)
5) What is significant about the fact that Christ is the source of light and life (v. 4)?
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(Verses to consider: John 8:12; 9:5; 10:28; 11:25–26; 14:6)
6) What profound truth is expressed in John 1:14? What are the implications of this for your life?
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(Verses to consider: Exod. 25:8; 33:7, 11)
Truth for Today
There have been many false views of Jesus throughout history, from noble example to political revolutionary. Yet to imagine a Jesus who was not the Savior is as foolish as to imagine a Shakespeare who was not a writer, or a Rembrandt who was not a painter. His name is Jesus, not because He is our example, guide, leader, or friend, though He is all of those things. His name is Jesus because He is our Savior.
Reflecting on the Text
C. S. Lewis wrote: "I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about [Christ]: 'I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept His claim to be God.' That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool; you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come up with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great moral teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to." (Mere Christianity, New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1960, pp. 40–41)
7) Based on John's prologue, how would you answer the person who claimed that Jesus was just a good man or a wise teacher?
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8) Describe the time in your life when you "received" Christ, or believed in His name.
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9) Which of your friends and neighbors need to know the grace and truth that come only through Jesus Christ? Pray for these friends this week.
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Personal Response
Write out additional reflections, questions you may have, or a prayer.
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CHAPTER 2The Presentation of the Son of God
John 1:19–2:25
Drawing Near
What aspects of Jesus' identity mean the most to you right now? Why?
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What aspects of Jesus' identity do you have questions about?
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Ask God to give you deeper insight into Jesus' identity as you begin this study.
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The Context
Following his deeply theological prologue, John introduces the first of many witnesses to prove that Jesus is the Messiah and Son of God. This is the main theme of his Gospel (20:31). First we see John the Baptist giving testimony on three different days to three different audiences. These events took place in AD 26–27, just a few months after John's baptism of Jesus. Next we find the record of Jesus' first public miracle — changing water into wine at a wedding in Cana of Galilee. This astounding sign was another powerful witness (the first of eight confirming miracles chosen by John) that pointed unmistakably to Jesus' deity. Finally, John's account of Jesus cleansing the temple in righteous indignation was added proof of Christ's deity and messiahship. The incident demonstrated Jesus' passion for God's house to be honored and His promised power of resurrection.
Keys to the Text
Son of God: There are two basic events in relation to which Jesus Christ is Son — His virgin birth and His resurrection. He was not a son until He was born into this world through the virgin birth. In describing one of the predictions of this birth, Luke says, "And the angel answered and said to her, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy offspring shall be called the Son of God'" (Luke 1:35 NKJV). The sonship of Christ is inextricably connected with His incarnation. Only after Christ's incarnation did God say, "This is My Son" (Luke 3:22 NKJV).
His sonship came to full bloom in His resurrection. This deep truth Paul makes clear in the book of Romans: "Concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom. 1:3–4 NJKV). He became a Son at birth; He was declared to be a Son in resurrection.
Messiah: The one anointed by God and empowered by God's Spirit to deliver His people and establish His kingdom. In Jewish thought, the Messiah would be the king of the Jews, a political leader who would defeat their enemies and bring in a golden era of peace and prosperity. In Christian thought, the term Messiah refers to Jesus' role as a spiritual deliverer, setting His people free from sin and death. The word Messiah comes from a Hebrew term that means "anointed one." Its Greek counterpart is Christos, from which the word Christ comes. (Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary)
Unleashing the Text
Read 1:19–2:25, noting the key words and definitions next to the passage.
John 1:19–2:25 (NKJV)
19 Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?"
20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, "I am not the Christ."
21 And they asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" And he answered, "No."
22 Then they said to him, "Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?"
23 He said: "I am 'The voice of one crying in the wilderness: "Make straight the way of the Lord,"' as the prophet Isaiah said."
24 Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees.
25 And they asked him, saying, "Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?"
26 John answered them, saying, "I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know.
27 It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose."
28 These things were done in Bethabara beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
30 This is He of whom I said, 'After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.'
31 I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water."
32 And 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, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.'
34 And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God."
35 Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples.
36 And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, "Behold the Lamb of God!"
37 The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.
38 Then 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?"
39 He 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).
40 One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from John by John MacArthur. Copyright © 2007 John F. MacArthur, Jr.. Excerpted by permission of Thomas Nelson.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
Contents
Introduction to John, 1,1 The Incarnation of the Son of God John 1:1–18, 5,
2 The Presentation of the Son of God John 1:19–2:25, 11,
3 You Must Be Born Again! John 3:1–36, 21,
4 The Living Water John 4:1–54, 29,
5 Unheeded Miracles John 5:1–6:71, 37,
6 Reactions to the Son of God John 7:1–10:42, 49,
7 The Resurrection and the Life John 11:1–54, 67,
8 The King Enters Jerusalem John 11:55–12:50, 75,
9 With Christ in the Upper Room John 13:1–14:31, 83,
10 With Christ in the Garden John 15:1–17:26, 93,
11 Execution of the Son of God John 18:1–19:37, 105,
12 Resurrection of the Son of God John 19:38–21:25, 115,