Introduction to John

Structure:

Author:

Audience:

Date:

Characteristics:

• Simple Greek
• Long discourses
  • Nicodemus
  • Woman at the well
  • Good Shepherd
  • Last discourse (4 chapters [14-17] long), including chapter-long prayer (17)
• Jesus calls Himself 'Son of God'
• Key words: love, believe, life, spirit, hour
• Has 7 signs plus resurrection
  1. Water to wine
  2. Healing nobleman's son
  3. Healing paralytic
  4. Feeding of 5,000 (in all four gospels)
  5. Walking on the water
  6. Healing the blind man
  7. Raising of Lazarus
• Has 7 'I am' statements
  1. Bread of Life
  2. Light of the world
  3. Door of the sheep
  4. Good Shepherd
  5. Resurrection and the Life
  6. Way, the Truth, and the Life
  7. True Vine
• Has prologue (1:1-18) that tells about His pre-existence
• The purpose is to produce faith (John 20:30-31)
• The story of the adulterous woman is missing from the oldest copies (7:53-8:11)
• Some scholars say John has supposed conflicts with the Synoptic gospels
  • conflicts over time on cross (19:14)
    but John most likely uses Roman time (count from midnight)
  • conflicts over time of Passover (18:28; 19:14)
    • day of Preparation of the Passover means Friday of Passover week, not day of preparation for the Passover (cf. Mark 15:42)
    • Passover eaten for 7 days (cf. Deut. 16:3)