S. Michael Houdmann Supporter Got Questions Ministries

Author: John 21:20-24 describes the author of the gospel of John as "the disciple whom Jesus loved," and for both historical and internal reasons this is understood to be John the Apostle, one of t...

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November 15 2013 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

John Appelt Supporter

John’s gospel is the only gospel that gives its specific purpose: that people may be saved, John 20:30-31.

According to notes at the end of a number of manuscripts of the gospel, John’s gospel was produced 32 years after the ascension of Christ which would be AD 62. The apostle John was living at that time in Ephesus, a thriving, prosperous port city in the western part of Turkey. The people were literate and collected many scrolls. Later Ephesus would have a very large library, the Library of Celsus which contained 12,000 scrolls. 

Some of the many likely books were biographies about famous people of that day. One such work was the story of Socrates who was condemned to death by poison. The author interviewed people to find out what he was like and how he faced death. They concluded he was the “noblest, gentlest, and bravest of all men...the wisest and most upright man.”

In the same manner, John wrote his gospel for the audience to consider the uniqueness of Jesus. The difference is that John did not rely on witnesses because he was there, John 21:24. 

When John wrote his gospel of evangelism, he wanted to help people to believe that Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah/Christ and the Son of God. So, he selected and wove into his account seven of many signs or miracles that Jesus performed. These are:

The turning the water into wine 
The healing of the official’s son
The healing of the crippled man
The feeding of five thousand 
Walking on the water 
The healing of the blind man
Raising Lazarus from the dead

Throughout the gospel, people come to realize Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. The book leads to the ultimate sign, Jesus dying and three days later majestically raising Himself from the dead.

Concerning how Jesus faced death, John wrote how Jesus loved His disciples, especially revealed in His final conversation with them (last discourse, John 13-17), He had courage while on trial, as His enemies confronted Him, and while in pain and suffering on the cross, He committed the care of His mother to John.

Scholars have noted that John had the means to care for her. There is evidence that John and James, were part of the high society of Israel. Their father had hired servants for their fishing business, their mother asked Jesus to seat her sons in special places in the kingdom, John ushered Peter into the courtyard because John was known to the high priest. Also, John wrote about the “Jews” who were the elite rulers in Israel. In writing his gospel, John, likely an educated member of high society was reaching others of high society. 

The reader must come to consider that Jesus is the noblest, gentlest, and bravest of all men, the wisest and most upright Man. He is the Christ, the Son of God. Most of all He is worthy of their belief in Him that they may have eternal life.

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