JOY of Living

Gospel of John

New Testament Canon – finalized in 397 AD

Canon - a general law, rule, principle or criterion by which something is judged.

The New Testament

Was it written or confirmed by an

Apostle? Does is confirm the Apostle’s teachings? Was it read in all the churches? Does it nurture, sustain and guide the

church over time?

Canon Criteria

Matthew – written to Jewish Christians – Jesus

as the Son of David and the Messiah Mark – written to Roman Christians – What

Jesus did Luke – written to Gentile Christians –

investigated timeline John – written for all Christians - the last

disciple, the final world for those who knew and walked with Jesus.

Gospels

John 1:14

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Memory Verse

In the beginning was the Word,

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

John 1:1

Greeks – used as the spoken word and also the

unspoken word, the word still in the mind. Jews – Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the

earth. Genesis 1:3 And God said, “Let there be light” and there was light

Gospel of John

In him was life, and that life was the light of men.

John 1:4

Zoe – Greek for Life

Used 127 times in the New Testament – 32 times in the Gospel of John

John 1:4

Chai – Hebrew for LifeGenesis 2:7The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and the man became a living being.

John 1:4

Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God – children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

John 1:12-13

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:14

One and Only = the Only Begotten

Flesh – culturally a strong word, almost crude to the Greeks

Dwelling = tent or Tabernacle;

Truth – John uses this word 25 times -

The Free unmerited favor of God, as manifested in the salvation of sinners and the bestowal of blessings. It is the kindness of God that we don’t deserve. There is nothing we have done, nor can ever do to earn this favor. It is a gift from God

Grace

The Law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming – not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year make perfect those who draw near to worship. If it could, would they not have stopped being offer? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would not longer have felt guilty for their sins. But those sacrifices are an actual reminder of sins, because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

Hebrews 10:1-4

“I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with told me. ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit’. I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God

1st Witness

Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi you

are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel”.

2nd Witness

Jesus added, “ I tell you the truth you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man”.

John 1:51