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THE TEACHINGS OF CHRIST

 

John’s Prologue (1)

John 1:1-18

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.     John’s gospel is not included among the synoptic gospels.

1.       Synoptic

a.       Definition:  taking a common view

b.      Matthew, Mark, and Luke are all very similar, having many verses that are almost identical.

2.       John’s gospel was written later with an entirely different purpose in mind as he presents unto us accounts from the Life of Christ.

 

B.     John clearly reveals his purpose to us (John 20:30-31).

 

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.

 

1.       There are eight miracles of Jesus recorded in John’s gospel.

a.       Turing water into wine (John 2:1-12)

b.      Healing the nobleman’s son (John 4:46-54)

c.       Healing the lame man (John 5:1-16)

d.      Feeding the five thousand (John 6:1-14)

e.       Jesus walks on the water (John 6:16-21)

f.        Healing the blind man (John 9:1-7)

g.       Raising Lazarus from the dead (John 11:38-44)

h.      Net full of fish (John 21:1-8)

2.       John says that if a man will honestly examine these eight signs, he will be convinced that Jesus is the Son of God.  It is interesting that he also says that there are many, many more signs that Jesus did in addition to these (John 21:25).

 

And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written.

 

C.     Our focus in this study is on John’s Prologue (John 1:18).

1.       Prologue

a.       A preliminary discourse

b.      An introductory statement

2.       A brief discussion of gnosticism.

a.       The word “gnosticism” comes from the Greek word “gnosis.”

1)       The word means “knowledge.”

2)       The gnostics of John’s day believed that they had superior knowledge than others.

b.      A foundational belief

1)       Spirit is all good; flesh is all evil.

a)       God is a Spirit.  Thus, He is all good

b)      Man is flesh.  Thus, He is evil.

2)       The gnostic’s problem:  How can God (Spirit-good) dwell in flesh (evil)?

a)       They did not believe that this could occur.

b)      They developed many theories to explain the man called Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

c.       John takes on this false doctrine at the very outset of his gospel.

1)       Jesus is God (John 1:1).

 

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

 

2)       The Word, God, was made flesh (John 1:14).

 

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

 

d.      John also deals with the gnostic beliefs in his epistles.

1)       He refers to them as the antichrist.

a)       I John 4:3

 

And every spirit that confesseth not the Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God:  and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that is should come; and even now already is it in the world.

 

b)      II John 7

 

For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh.  This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

 

2)       John begins his first epistle refuting their belief that God could not take the form of a fleshly human being (I John 1:1).

 

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life.

 

D.    Outline

 

i.          THE WORD (John 1:1-3)

                                    A.   Continual (John 1:1a)

                                    B.   Constituent of the Godhead (John 1:1b-2)

                                    C.   Creator (John 1:3)

 

ii.         THE LIGHT (John 1:4-9)

A.     Conferrer of Life (John 1:4a).

B.     Character of Light (John 1:4b-9)

1.       Manifested (John 1:4b-5a)

2.       Misunderstood (John 1:5b)

3.       Messenger (John 1:6-8)

4.       Mission (John 1:9)

 

iii.        THE REACTION (John 1:10-13)

A.     His Creatures (John 1:10)

B.     His Culture (John 1:11)

C.     His Children (John 1:12-13)

1.       Believed (John 1:12)

2.       Born again (John 1:13)

 

iv.         THE INCARNATION (John 1:14-18)

A.     Clothed in flesh (John 1:14)

B.     Confirmed by John (John 1:15)

C.     Claimed His fullness (John 1:16)

D.    Contrasted with Moses (John 1:17)

E.      Conveyed the Father (John 1:18)