During this quarter, we will be studying the Gospel of John, a finely crafted masterpiece. It is the Word of God, as artfully expressed by the apostle John.
It is unique among the four Gospels, often focusing attention on the personal interactions between Jesus and just one or two people. Many of these stories appear only in John.
As with the entire Bible, the Gospel came by the will of God, rather than by the will of humanity. John was merely the willing instrument that the Holy Spirit used to convey many crucial themes: the Word (logos), light, bread, water, the Holy Spirit, oneness, signs, testimony, and prophecy. These themes mutually enhance and illuminate one another throughout the Gospel.
But let us not miss the big picture while examining the details. May our study of John’s Gospel, written by Ed Zinke and Thomas Shepherd, carry us back to the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, whom to know is life eternal. The details have a role, which is to point us toward the big picture, and in John that big picture is a divinely inspired revelation of Jesus, our Lord and Savior.