Communion With the Christ:: Elementary Notes About the Gospels: St. John

Introduction to St. John’s Gospel

The Gospel of St. John—often called "the Most Beloved Gospel"—is known in Greek as:
τὸ κατὰ Ἰωάννην εὐαγγέλιον

St. John’s Gospel differs significantly in style and intent from the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke).

John writes with deep insight into both the Deity and Humanity of Jesus Christ.

Among all the Gospel writers, St. John speaks most directly to Christian believers, offering an ongoing revelation of who God is and how He reveals Himself in the person of Jesus.

Why St. John Wrote His Gospel

St. John himself explains the purpose of his Gospel in its closing verses:

"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 20:31

"Boanerges" – The Sons of Thunder

St. John was a fisherman from Capernaum, Galilee, a town situated on the shores of Lake Galilee.

He was the son of Zebedee and Salome and the younger brother of James.

Jesus gave St. John and St. James the nickname "Boanerges", meaning "sons of thunder" (Mark 3:17).

At times, John and his brother displayed fierce and impulsive anger, even wishing to call down fire on a Samaritan town—an act for which Jesus rebuked them (Luke 9:51-56).

Despite this fiery nature, St. John was transformed into the Apostle of Love, demonstrating deep spiritual insight and devotion to Christ.

St. John’s Longevity & Legend

Early Christian tradition holds that St. John died of old age, reaching his late 90s—making him the longest-living Apostle.

He is thought to have been one of the youngest disciples at the time of his calling.

Some legends suggest that St. John’s enemies attempted to boil him alive, but he miraculously survived. This legend inspired Christian iconography portraying St. John as an eagle in a cauldron.

More commonly, John is represented as an eagle, symbolizing his ability to see and understand from a heavenly perspective.

This imagery draws from Israel’s history, as the tribe of Dan—under which some Israelites camped during their wilderness journey—had the eagle as its tribal emblem.

St. John’s Close Relationship with Jesus

St. John was one of Jesus’ twelve Apostles, and his closeness to Christ is evident throughout Scripture.

He is repeatedly referred to as:
"The disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to Him."
—John 13:23

St. John was one of the three Apostles (along with St. Peter and St. James) chosen to witness:

The raising of Jairus' daughter (Mark 5:21–43, Matthew 9:18–26, Luke 8:40–56)
The Transfiguration of Jesus (Matthew 17, Mark 9, Luke 4:9)

Date & Location of Writing

St. John’s Gospel is believed to have been written between 70–100 AD, most likely from Ephesus in Asia Minor, where St. John led the Christian Church as the last surviving Apostle of Jesus.

St. John is also credited with writing:

1 John
2 John
3 John
The Book of Revelation

Countering Gnosticism

Some scholars believe John wrote his Gospel to counter the growing influence of Gnostic teachings, which were spreading within the Church under Marcion, a Gnostic teacher.

At the time, Gnostic movements claimed to be the "true Church," presenting an alternative history in opposition to orthodox Christianity, as taught by Jesus' disciples and their successors.

Gnosticism contained various theological distortions, particularly denying the full divinity of Jesus.

Some Gnostic teachings included:

Jesus was a mere apparition, only appearing to be real but never actually coming in the flesh.
Jesus was an ordinary man who had become “good enough” to be called or adopted as God’s Son.
Jesus was possessed by the "divine spirit," which abandoned Him at the cross.
Jesus was merely an angel or a created being, rather than eternally divine.

St. John directly refuted these claims, emphasizing that Jesus was fully God and fully man—the eternal Word made flesh.

St. John’s Gospel presents Jesus in a unique and deeply theological way, offering insight into:

His divinity and humanity
His intimate relationship with His followers
The true identity of God revealed through Christ

It remains one of the most profound and beloved accounts of Jesus’ life, ministry, and purpose.

Themes of St. John’s Gospel

St. John’s Gospel presents Jesus as the One who was to come from the very beginning.

St. John opens with a unique introduction, tying together the creation of the universe and the coming of Christ, echoing the opening words of Genesis 1:

"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth."
—Genesis 1:1

St. John parallels this concept by portraying Jesus as the agent of both physical and spiritual creation:

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
—John 1:1

The Logos: The Word of God

St. John establishes Jesus as the “Logos” (the Word)—the perfect revelation of who God is and the One through whom all things were created.

In the Hellenistic world, there was a belief in a supreme power beyond the pantheon of Greek gods. This higher force, if sought, could intervene and prevent the Olympian gods from harming humanity.

St. John reveals to his readers that what their myths only hinted at, Jesus is the reality of.

Jesus is not just a cosmic force—He is God, the true God, the only God.

Jesus as the Messiah: Signs and Testimonies

St. John provides several examples to prove that Jesus is the Messiah, including:

Scriptural prophecy
The testimony of John the Baptist
Jesus’ own words
God the Father’s affirmation
Miraculous healings and works
The witness of the Holy Spirit
St. John’s own firsthand account

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.