John

Jesus - The Word, the Messiah, the Son of God

John F. MacArthur

• Publisher: HarperChristian Resources
• Year: 2015
• eBook ISBN: 9780718035235
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Biblical Studies

The Gospel of John is filled with profound truths and rich spiritual stories. Stories of Christ's miracles that inspire His followers; stories of a death that redeems the lost; and stories of a resurrection that provides us with hope for eternal glory.

Pastor John MacArthur will take you through the fourth gospel account, passage by passage, so that you can better understand everything from its unique and urgent tone to the ways the apostle John makes his case for Christ's sovereignty and victory.

Every miracle, teaching, and action of Jesus that his disciple John captures in his Gospel has one clear purpose: to prove that Jesus is the Word, the Messiah, and the Son of God.

The dramatic milestones of Christ's ministry, as portrayed by John, have invited millions of believers throughout the ages into a saving faith with Jesus Christ, and will lead you into a deeper understanding of the ultimate story of Jesus, the Son of God.

—ABOUT THE SERIES—

The MacArthur Bible Study series is designed to help you study the Word of God with guidance from widely respected pastor and author John MacArthur. Each guide provides intriguing examinations of the whole of Scripture by examining its parts and incorporates:

• Extensive, but straight-forward commentary on the text.
• Detailed observations on overriding themes, timelines, history, and context.
• Word and phrase studies to help you unlock the broader meaning and apply it to your life.
• Probing, interactive questions with plenty of space to write down your response and thoughts.

1

THE INCARNATION OF THE SON OF GOD
John 1:1–18

DRAWING NEAR

Many opinions abound about who Jesus is. What are some of the more common ideas about the identity of Jesus held today that come to mind?

[Your Response Here]

Who do you believe Jesus is? Why?

[Your Response Here]

THE CONTEXT

This rich theological passage constitutes what is known as the prologue to John’s Gospel. It introduces many of the major themes that John will address, especially the main theme that “Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God” (vv. 12–14; cf. 20:31). Several key words repeated throughout the Gospel (for example, life, light, witness, glory) appear here for the first time. The remainder of the Gospel develops the theme of the prologue as to how the eternal “Word” of God, Jesus the Messiah and Son of God, became flesh and ministered among people so that all who believe in Him would be saved.

Although John wrote the prologue with the simplest vocabulary in the New Testament, the truths that the prologue conveys are the most profound. The prologue features six basic truths about Christ as the Son of God:

The eternal Christ (vv. 1–3)

The incarnate Christ (vv. 4–5)

The forerunner of Christ (vv. 6–8)

The unrecognized Christ (vv. 9–11)—that is, His rejection

The omnipotent Christ (vv. 12–13)

The glorious Christ (vv. 14–18)—that is, His deity

As you begin, ask God to open the spiritual eyes of your heart to the truth He wants you to see in this lesson.

KEYS TO THE TEXT

Incarnation: A theological term for the coming of God’s Son into the world as a human being. The term itself is not used in the Bible, but it is based on clear references in the New Testament to Jesus as a person “in the flesh.” The Greek construction of the term “the Word” used in the Gospel of John emphasizes that the Word had all the essence or attributes of deity, i.e., Jesus the Messiah was fully God. Although in His incarnation Christ became fully man, He took only the outward appearance of sinful flesh, because He was completely without sin (Heb. 4:15). To know Jesus is to know God. This constant emphasis on Jesus as God incarnate is unmistakably clear in this Gospel.

Life, Light, Darkness: John introduces the reader to contrasting themes that occur throughout the Gospel. “Life” and “light” are qualities of the Word that are shared not only among the Godhead, but also by those who respond to the gospel message regarding Jesus Christ. John uses the word “life” about thirty-six times in his Gospel, far more than any other New Testament book. It refers not only in a broad sense to physical and temporal life that the Son imparted to the created world as the agent of creation, but especially to spiritual and eternal life imparted as a gift through belief in Him.

In Scripture, “light” and “darkness” are familiar symbols. John uses the term “darkness” fourteen times (eight in the Gospel and six in 1 John) out of its seventeen occurrences in the New Testament, making it almost an exclusive Johannine word. Intellectually, light refers to biblical truth while darkness refers to error or falsehood. Morally, light refers to holiness or purity while darkness refers to sin or wrongdoing.

UNLEASHING THE TEXT

Read 1:1–18, noting the key words and definitions next to the passage.

John 1:1–18 (NKJV)

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

in the beginning (v. 1)—In an absolute sense, this phrase refers to the beginning of the space-time universe.

the Word (v. 1)—The Greek term is logos, and in extrabiblical, philosophical literature it stood for impersonal wisdom, rational principle, or divine reason; here John imbued the concept with personality.

the Word was with God (v. 1)—The Word, as the Second Person of the Trinity, was in intimate fellowship with God the Father throughout all eternity.

the Word was God (v. 1)—The Word had all the essence or attributes of deity; that is, Jesus the Messiah was (and is) fully God.

2 He was in the beginning with God.

3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

all things were made through Him (v. 3)—Jesus Christ was God the Father’s agent in creation.

4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.

5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

7 This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe.

8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

9 That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.

the true Light . . . coming into the world (v. 9)—better rendered “the true Light which, coming into the world, gives light to every man”

10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.

11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.

His own . . . His own (v. 11)—in the first case, a reference to humanity in general; in the latter instance, a reference to the Jewish nation

12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:

as many as received Him . . . to those who believe in His name (v. 12)—To receive Him who is the Word of God means to acknowledge His claims, place one’s faith in Him, and thereby yield allegiance to Him.

13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

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Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Ebook Instructions
• Contents
• Introduction to John
• 1. The Incarnation of the Son of God: John 1:1–18
• 2. The Presentation of the Son of God: John 1:19–2:25
• 3. You Must Be Born Again!: John 3:1–36
• 4. The Living Water: John 4:1–54
• 5. Unheeded Miracles: John 5:1–6:71
• 6. Reactions to the Son of God: John 7:1–10:42
• 7. The Resurrection and the Life: John 11:1–54
• 8. The King Enters Jerusalem: John 11:55–12:50
• 9. With Christ In the Upper Room: John 13:1–14:31
• 10. With Christ In the Garden: John 15:1–17:26
• 11. Execution of the Son of God: John 18:1–19:37
• 12. Resurrection of the Son of God: John 19:38–21:25