Summary of John
John is the last of the four Gospel books in the New Testament, it contains a narrative history, parables and prophetic messages. John tells stories about Jesus Christ, the Twelve Apostles, Mary Magdalene, John the Baptist, Lazarus and the sisters of Mary and Martha as well as Jewish religious leaders and Pontius Pilate.
One of the main reasons the book exists, is to provide everyone with the knowledge of their Savior, Jesus Christ. We know that God gave His Only Begotten Son for us, so that we could have the ability to return to live with our Father in Heaven.
• Chapter 1: Explains of the Messiah’s coming ministry. John gives clear evidence that Jesus is more than just a man, He is the Son of God “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). Jesus is Jehovah, Jehovah is the word and is the God of the Old Testament.
• Chapters 2-12: Explain the ministry of Jesus. He meets with a religious leader named Nicodemus and teaches him that no one can enter the Kingdom of Heaven unless they have are personally “…born again…” (John 3:3). Obviously this referring to Baptism and the Covenants you make with God to change your life and become like one of His disciples. Several times throughout the book, Jesus claims that He Himself is the God of the Old Testament (The Son of God the Eternal Father), “I and my Father are one” (John 10:30), which of course refers to their unity as one in Purpose. Jesus also repeats and applies to Himself, the Jehovaic statement, “I AM” as found in Exodus 3:14, for example, when Jesus declares, “…I am the resurrection, and the life…” (John 11:25), “…I am the way, the truth, and the life…” (John 14:6), “I am the door…” (John 10:9), and “…I am the bread of life…” (6:35).
• Chapters 13-17: Describes the details of the Last Supper with Jesus and His disciples. Jesus taught many important topics to His Apostles during this time. Some of these were topics about the Kingdom, and about how the Holy Ghost would be sent to them. He also prays for Himself, His Apostle, and for all the future believers.
• Chapters 18-21: Portrays the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus is put on trial and then convicted illegally. He is beaten, humiliated, and then crucified. Jesus resurrected and arose from the tomb and appeared to Mary Magdalene and to His disciples. Upon closing the writing of the Gospel of John, John himself testifies of the great work of Jesus and how the Bible does not contain all of His word:
“And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books, that should be written, Amen.” (John 10:25)