God has given me a unique gift this year that I’m not likely to ever experience again; independently of each other all my Bible worlds have collided on the book of John.
At Christian Veterinary Mission we focused on The Light from John 1:5 but studied through the entire book and finished this month.
At Bible Study Fellowship we also did a deep dive into the book of John and finished last week.
In Classical Conversations, our homeschool group, we memorized John 1:1-7 in English and Latin.
In Isaiah’s Bible Bowl this semester he memorized much of the first 4 chapters of John and will work on more next semester.
In my Sunday School class we are studying the Francis Chan series on John, “Jesus’ Final Message.”
In my personal study I’ve been reading my friend Gloria’s daily devotion through the book of John, “Face to Face with the Father.”
It seems clear that God aligned these studies for me intentionally so I would be remiss not to take note of what He is doing through this hyper focus on my favorite gospel by the disciple whom Jesus loved.
Some call his writing black and white; I think it’s pure poetry with brilliant parallels woven throughout, some delicately woven by John as the writer, but most woven expertly by God Himself as the author of history. So, pull up a chair if you’d like to see what has stood out to me this year swimming in the Gospel of John.
The narrative starts with its most poetic writing in chapter 1 as John spins the Creation story of Genesis into the birth story of Jesus, both accounts first lines read, "In the beginning..." Because God is timeless, Jesus has been around since the beginning and is the Word made flesh, the mediator between God and man.
"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." -John 1:14
In studying Genesis and memorizing the days of Creation with my kids, I have always found it odd that God said “Let there be light” on Day 1, but didn’t set the sun, moon, and stars, in the sky till Day 4, seems like the source of light should have existed before light itself. Unless the source wasn’t really necessary at all… John 1:4 says, “In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.” Jesus is our true light, “The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.” -John 1:9.
Skipping ahead, in the 17th chapter, in Jesus’ beautiful conversation with His Father, we see the only time Jesus “wants” anything in the gospels. If I were only going to want one thing, I’m sure it would be for myself, and probably something frivolous like ice cream, but in 17:24, and throughout His ministry really, all Jesus wants is for us to be with Him and know the truth.
Much of John’s telling is prose writing of events that John chose to highlight although he only chose a tiny portion of the works Jesus did. In both John 20:30-31 and in his very last phrase, "Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written." -John 21:25.
It sounds a bit hyperbolic to describe such quantity in a 3-year ministry, but as my son, Paul, pointed out, maybe that’s because Jesus has been working in lives ever since, including our own.
Nearing the end of John’s writing, he masterfully brings back other stories full circle. Or should I say God masterfully redeems what has been broken.
In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve sinned and hid themselves in shame. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus is illegally sought out in the dark, but instead of hiding like the first Adam, He reveals Himself, the true Light, to His captors. The second Adam, Jesus, gives Himself up in the second garden to make right what was broken in the first garden.
And don’t miss what I had for years, when He initiated the conversation with Judas, the soldiers, and Pharisees who came to arrest Him, Jesus literally knocked them to the ground when He answered, “I am He.” How obtuse were they, clearly in the presence of God Himself, to continue about their sinful business, and how obtuse are we to often do the same. -John 18:6
Although everyone there seems aware they are in the presence of God as they pick themselves up from the ground, Peter impulsively takes it upon himself to defend Jesus, and cuts off Malchus’ ear. After His arrest, as Jesus predicted, when asked if he was with Jesus, Peter impulsively denies three times that he knew Him. What a contrast Peter’s impulsivity through the gospels is to the self-control he exhibits from Pentecost on, showing us how powerful the fruit of the Spirit truly is.
On the third day after Jesus’ death and burial, it’s comical to hear John recount his race with Peter and how he beat him to the empty tomb. My son, Isaiah, asked why Mary left earlier for the tomb than the guys, I said, maybe she didn’t, maybe she just ran faster than either of them.
It’s interesting how Mary didn’t recognize newly resurrected Jesus at the tomb side, mistaking him for the gardener, but Isaiah said, “Well, she wasn’t wrong,” in John 15:1 Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the Gardener.” And in John 10:30 he says, “I and the Father are one.” So, evidently Isaiah grasps the Trinity better than most of us.
Early in His ministry, in Luke 5:4-6, Jesus tells his new disciples to cast their fishing nets one more time after a long night with no catch. Reluctantly, Peter does so, and his nets almost break with the bounty. After His resurrection, and on the heels of another long fruitless night, Jesus asks them to cast their nets on the other side of the boat, and a bunch of exhausted disciples skeptically obey and pull in 153 large fish. I love how His power over the sea is proof once again of his divine identity.
A coal fire is only mentioned twice in the gospels. The first, they used to warm their hands as Peter denied knowing Jesus just before the rooster crowed. The second time, Jesus just happened to have some coal to start a fire after His resurrection, when He wanted to restore Peter and forgive Him. Peter was sometimes a simple fellow, so to make sure he didn’t miss the symbolism of His thrice repeated question, “Peter, do you love me?” He used coal for this fire too to make it crystal clear.
In this final parallel, Jesus gives Peter three opportunities to make right the three denials by asking Him if He loves Him 3 times. The first 2 times He asks, Jesus uses the Greek word “agape” for love, meaning God’s unconditional self-sacrificing love, but Peter responds with the word “phileo” (brotherly or friendship love) each time, in my opinion because he’s just been shamefully humbled by his weakness in denying Christ repeatedly, so he’s not his usual brazen self, overstating his willingness to give everything for the Lord. In His third ask, Jesus also uses the phileo love conceding to the term Peter is comfortable with now, but in this reinstatement of Peter He continues by prophesying how Peter will glorify God all the way to his death. Basically, ‘Don’t worry, Peter, you may have been too weak to agape me before, but you will soon enough.’
I love His two commands in this final message to His disciples, "Feed My lambs" or "Tend My sheep," and "Follow Me!” Aren’t these the two calls to action we need as well, ‘Know God and make Him known.’
In Francis Chan’s series on Jesus' final message, he asks you to sit down and picture the Creator of the universe washing your feet. I’d encourage you to close your eyes and imagine this. I was overwhelmed by Christ’s warmth and accepting unconditional love when I saw him look up from my dirty feet toward my dirty heart, made clean by His sacrifice.
What a ride it’s been! If you haven’t taken a deep dive into John’s gospel, I’d highly encourage you to sit at His feet and look up into His radiant face through the inspired words of John. My favorite line is 3:30 when John the Baptist says, "He must increase, and I must decrease." Isn't that the truth for us all!
