Contributions of St. John's Gospel - Reformation Seminary

 

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1. The symbol of John is an eagle, because "he soars above all the rest." Luther.

2. Modernists (apostates) argue the Fourth Gospel was Gnostic and written 300 years later.

3. John's Gospel is clearly the capstone of Matthew-Mark-Luke. Touching on some events (baptism, Lord's Supper), more detail on others - Jesus's sermons.

John 1:32; after Judas left John 13:31

4. John is the clearest example of "sermons based on the original Scriptures." The first three Gospels do the same, using the Old Testament texts.

5. Genesis and John start the same same - In the beginning, and teach Creation, and the Trinity. The Four Gospels are not a four-volume dogmatics set, but a delicate tapestry of pictures, events, and sayings.

6. The Fourth Gospel is full of Jesus' sermons.

7. The Faithless Five - ELCA-LCMS-WELS-ELS-CLC (sic) teach against faith in Jesus Christ. John's Gospel is especially clear about faith in Him -

KJV John 6: 27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. 28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. 30 They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work? 31 Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat. 32 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. [Note how two major themes overlap in a  few verses.]

8. The Trinity is very clear in John's Gospel and the Holy Spirit is emphasized more than Matthew-Mark-Luke. We can say that the Fourth Gospel enlarges the first three and teaches what we take for granted - the three-year ministry.

9. The empty tomb is especially clear and so are His resurrection events.

10. We can never get enough of the insights in the Fourth Gospel. The text is the simplest in vocabulary in the New Testament and also the most profound. John is more easily translated in all other languages. Virginia R. said, "I think that was on purpose." Yes, anyone who wants to learn a foreign language will start with the Fourth Gospel in that language.