These elements serve as reliable
evidence of Jesus’ divine nature and mission.
The Trinity in St. John’s Gospel
A common question from those who
deny the Trinity is:
"If God is one in three persons,
why isn't the Holy Spirit mentioned in John 1:1?"
The answer lies in the role of the
Holy Spirit—His purpose is to glorify Jesus, not Himself.
Jesus explains:
"He will not speak on His own; He
will bring glory to Me by taking from what is Mine and making it known to
you."
—John 16:13-14
Thus, the Holy Spirit is active but
does not emphasize Himself—His mission is to reveal Jesus to the world.
St. John’s Gospel strongly affirms the
true nature of God—not as three separate gods (Tri-Theism), nor a
binary deity, but as One God in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit.
The doctrine of the Trinity arose
as a defense of monotheism, refuting the false charge that Christians
were preaching three gods.
Outline of St. John’s Gospel
1. Prologue
– The Word Incarnate
2. Evidence of Jesus' Messianic Credentials
3. Passion Narrative
– Death & Resurrection
4. Epilogue
– Parting Words to St. Peter & St. John
The Seven Great "I AM"
Statements
John carefully demonstrates Jesus’
divine nature and identity through the Seven "I AM"
declarations:
1. “I AM the bread of life.”
(John 6:35, 48)
2. “I AM the light of the world.” (John 8:12)
3. “I AM the door.”
(John 10:7, 9)
1. “I AM the good shepherd.”
(John 10:11, 14)
2. “I AM the resurrection and the life.” (John 11:25)
3. “I AM the way, the truth, and the life.” (John 14:6)
4. “I AM the true vine.”
(John 15:1, 5)
Jesus as YHWH
By using the sacred name "I
AM," Jesus directly identifies Himself with the God of Israel.
This echoes God’s declaration to
Moses:
"God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I
AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you.'
"
—Exodus 3:14
Through these statements, St. John
leaves no doubt—Jesus is YHWH, the eternal God.
The Cleansing of the Temple
St. John places the cleansing of
the Temple—Jesus driving out money changers—early in his Gospel (John
2), whereas the Synoptic Gospels place it later in Jesus’ ministry (Matthew
21, Mark 11, Luke 19).
Scholars speculate two possibilities:
1. There were two separate events—one early in Jesus’ ministry, one near the end.
2. John intentionally placed the event early to emphasize Jesus’ mission of restoring the right relationship
between God and humanity.
St. John’s placement may serve as a powerful
metaphor:
- Jesus clears the temple—removing what corrupts worship.
- Jesus clears our hearts—removing selfish inclinations and spiritual
clutter.
Rather than focusing on chronological
accuracy, St. John prioritizes meaning and intent—helping us
understand why Jesus came.
St. John’s Gospel offers a uniquely
theological and spiritual perspective, presenting Jesus as:
- The Eternal Word, the Logos
- The Messiah and Savior of humanity
- YHWH, the Great "I AM"
- The One who restores the broken relationship
between God and mankind
It is a masterpiece of revelation,
guiding believers into deeper understanding of Christ’s divine nature and
mission.
Behold the Lamb
St. John dedicates time to the ministry
and witness of John the Baptist, placing him at the inauguration of
Jesus’ public ministry.
John the Baptist prepares the way,
echoing Isaiah’s prophecy:
"John replied in the words of
Isaiah the prophet, 'I am the voice of one calling in the desert, "Make
straight the way for the Lord."' "
—John 1:19-23
St. John also proclaims Jesus as
"the Lamb of God", a theme that resonates throughout John’s
Gospel and the Book of Revelation:
"The next day John saw Jesus
coming toward him and said, 'Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of
the world!' "
—John 1:29
In Revelation, St. John again presents
Jesus as the Lamb, still bearing the wounds of crucifixion:
"Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if
it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne."
—Revelation 5:6
This verse beautifully connects Jesus’
death and resurrection:
- "Looking as if slain" symbolizes His sacrifice.
- "Standing before the throne" affirms His victory over death.
Nicodemus & The Beloved Verse
Only John includes Jesus'
conversation with Nicodemus (John 3:1-14), in which Jesus reveals
the necessity of being born again.
This passage contains one of the most
beloved verses in all of Scripture, found only in John:
"For God so loved the world that
He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but
have eternal life."
—John 3:16
The Woman at the Well
St. John uniquely records Jesus’
encounter with the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well (John 4).
Here, Jesus asks for water but offers
her the true "Water of Life"—a promise later echoed in
Revelation:
"He said to me: 'It is done. I am
the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I
will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life.' "
—Revelation 21:6
Lazarus & The Shortest Verse
St. John also takes us to the tomb
of Lazarus, recording Jesus’ famous words:
"Jesus wept."
—John 11:35
This moment is significant because it
reveals:
1. Jesus' deep compassion
for His friends.
2. His divine power over death—as He soon calls Lazarus forth from the grave.
Before raising Lazarus, Jesus declares
His identity:
"I am the resurrection and the
life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives
and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?"
—John 11:25-26
This statement affirms that Jesus
is Life itself, and His resurrection only confirms what has always been
true—He has power over death and can restore any situation, even
when all hope seems lost.
Foot Washing at the Last Supper
Unlike the Synoptic Gospels, John includes
a unique account of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet (John 13:2-5):
"Jesus knew that the Father had
put all things under His power, and that He had come from God and was returning
to God; so He got up from the meal, took off His outer clothing, and wrapped a
towel around His waist. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to
wash His disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around
Him."
—John 13:3-5
St. John uses this act of cleansing
in the same way that the Synoptic Gospels describe the Bread and Wine—highlighting
Jesus’ role in cleansing us of sin.
Jesus' Final Discourse & The
Lord’s Prayer
St. John uniquely provides Jesus'
farewell discourse before His arrest (John 14-17), including:
- John 14 – Jesus comforts the Apostles, declaring He is the way,
the truth, and the life.
- John 15 – The Vine and Branches, calling believers to abide in
Him.
- John 16 – The Holy Spirit’s work, and Jesus’ overcoming the world.
- John 17 – Jesus’ prayer as our High Priest, asking for unity among
believers throughout all generations.
Post-Resurrection Encounters
St. John 21 records the seven
disciples meeting the resurrected Jesus on the shores of Galilee.
The Apostles returned to fishing,
yet Jesus reminds them—and us—that after encountering Christ, we can never
return to life as before.
Jesus directs them to cast their
nets again, leading to a miraculous great haul—symbolizing that
their true calling is spreading the Gospel, not fishing for food.
John 21 also contains:
- Jesus’ reaffirmation of His love for Peter (John 21:15-19).
- Jesus’ final words about John’s future role in the
Church (John 21:20-24).
No Book Big Enough
St. John closes his Gospel with a
striking statement:
"Jesus did many other things as
well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole
world would not have room for the books that would be written."
—John 21:25
St. John reiterates his purpose for
writing:
"Jesus did many other miraculous signs
in the presence of His disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But
these are written 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
Everything recorded in St. John’s
Gospel was written so that we might believe—and through belief, receive
life in His name.
Benediction
May we each and all praise our God,
who has preserved and given us this divine account of His Holy Son’s life
upon the Earth—revealing to us the greatness of God—today, tomorrow, and
forevermore. Amen.
Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor
Topinabee Community Church
Topinabee, Michigan
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"If It Is Not About Jesus, It Is Not About Anything"
