What are some key themes in the Gospel of John? What can we learn?
The Gospel of John might seem much more complicated to understand than the three other gospels (known as the synoptic gospels). There are many long expositions by Jesus, and sometimes, Jesus appears to be saying things that are unrelated to the situation.
Nevertheless, the Gospel of John does have several interesting characteristics and themes. Today's chapter introduces some of the key themes of this gospel.
The Word Is God
The start of this chapter brings to mind the start of Genesis, when God created the heavens and the earth. This chapter introduces the Word, how the Word was with God and was God. All things were made through Him, and without Him, nothing was made that was made (John 1:1-3).
And this Word became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14). This Word is Jesus, God manifest in the flesh (1 Tim 3:16).
This is one feature of the Gospel of John: Emphasising the divinity of Jesus Christ.
Throughout John, many passages mention how Jesus was sent from the Father, came into the world, left the world, and finally returned to the Father (John 5:43; 6:38; 7:28-29, 33-34; 8:42; 16:28; etc.).
And when Jesus was in this world, He did not do things on His own accord but did whatever the Father told Him to do (John 3:34; 5:19, 30; 12:49; etc.). His authority came directly from the Father (John 7:16-17; 8:28; 14:10; etc.).
Moreover, while other gospels have miracles, the gospel of John calls them signs (John 2:11; 4:54). Like a signpost, the seven signs in the gospel of John each emphasise an aspect of the divinity of Jesus, showing that He is not just a mere human like us.
Through the seven signs, we can see that Jesus transcends various things. For instance, the sign of turning water into wine shows that Jesus transcends material quality, and the raising of Lazarus from the dead shows that Jesus transcends death.
As we read through the gospel of John, may we appreciate and internalise the significance of God manifesting in the flesh (John 20:30-31).
Becoming Flesh To Address Our Needs
Beyond showing the divinity of Jesus, the Gospel of John also highlights why God had to come in the flesh: Jesus came to satisfy all our needs.
Throughout the gospel of John, we see themes of food, feast, and drink. Food and water are essential for our survival. Without food and water, we will die. From John, we see that Jesus can completely fills our hunger and quenches our thirst (John 4:13-14; 6:35; 7:37-39; etc.).
In fact, each of the seven "I am the..." in the gospel of John demonstrates how Jesus is able to satisfy all of our needs. From giving us light amidst a world of darkness to being a good shepherd who loves us and gives His life for us, the gospel of John tells us that Jesus can truly meet all of our deepest needs. He is the answer to all our problems.
Ultimately, Jesus gives us life (John 3:16; 10:10). Jesus is the true light coming into the world, giving light to all of us, and this light is the life of man (John 1:4-5, 9). He allows us to be born of God and be children of God (John 1:12-13), allowing us to inherit the heavenly kingdom and receive eternal life (John 3:15-16, 36; 5:24; 6:40; etc.).
Today, do we recognise and see what God wants to give us? Do we realise that Jesus is the only one who can truly satisfy our souls and meet our every need?
Different Responses of Man
We can see three groups of people in John 1:10-13: The world, His own, and those who receive Jesus. And these three groups of people are seen throughout the Gospel of John.
In the NKJV Bible, the word "world" appears a total of 62 times in the Gospel of John (in all four gospels, it appears a total of 84 times). John describes God loving the world and sending His Son into the world (John 3:16-18), yet the world does not know Him (John 1:10). In fact, the world will hate Him and hate us who follow Him (John 15:18-19).
In John 1:11, "His own" refers to the Jews. Throughout John, the "Jews" often refer specifically to the religious leaders. We often see them opposing Jesus and wanting to harm Him, and Jesus rebukes them for their unbelief and for loving the glory of man (John 5:44; John 12:42-43).
Finally, in John 1:12-13, we see those who received Jesus. Towards the end of today's chapter, we see two such incidents where Andrew, Peter, Philip, and Nathanael begin to follow Jesus. When many others left Jesus, this last group chose to remain because they knew who Jesus is (John 6:66-69). From John 13-16, Jesus specially speaks to this special group, and in John 17, He prays for them.
Which group do we belong to?
"Coming to Jesus" is a theme in the gospel of John. Nicodemus came by night (John 3:1), the Samaritan woman asked the Samaritans to come and meet Jesus (John 4:29), the Jews came because they sought food (John 6:26), etc. People came to Jesus in various ways, with different intentions and motives. Some came and followed till the end, while others left halfway.
Today, have we truly come to Jesus?
As we read the gospel of John and learn more about how God came in the flesh to give us light and life, may we reflect on our response to the love of God.