THE GOOD NEWS — FULLNESS OF HIS GRACE

John 1:1-2:11

DIMENSION ONE: WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

Answer these questions by reading John 1

1. What words of Genesis do the first three words of John's Gospel recall? (1:1; Genesis 1:1)

John's Gospel and the Book of Genesis both open with the words "In the beginning."

2. What words of John suggest Jesus' divine nature? (1:2-4)

John says that "In the beginning was the Word [Jesus], and the Word was with God"; that he was part of the creation of all things; and that "in him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind."

3. What does John tell us about the relationship between life and light, light and darkness? (1:4-5)

John tells us that light gives life and overcomes darkness.

4. Who is introduced into the Prologue of the Gospel in 1:6?

"A man sent from God," named John, is introduced in verse 6.

5. What is John's purpose? (1:7-8)

John's purpose is "to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe." John is not that light.

6. To whom did the true light come? (1:11)

"He came to that which was his own" and was not received.

7. What was given to those who believed and did receive him? (1:12-13)

Those who believed received the right to became children of God.

8. What did the people ("we all") receive in the coming of the Son? (1:16-17)

"We have all received grace in place of grace already given. ... grace and truth came through Jesus Christ."

9. How does John's Gospel describe John the Baptist? (1:23)

John says of himself, "I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness."

10. Where is John baptizing? (1:28)

John is baptizing "at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan."

11. How does John say that he recognized Jesus? (1:32)

John says that he "saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him."

12. Who are Jesus' first disciples, as listed by our writer? (1:40-51)

Jesus' first disciples named in John are Andrew, Simon Peter, Philip, and Nathanael.

Answer these questions by reading John 2:1-11

13. Who attended the marriage feast at Cana of Galilee? (2:1-2)

Jesus, his mother, and his disciples attended the marriage feast.

14. What did Jesus say to the servants? (2:7-8)

Jesus told the servants to "fill the jars with water" and to take some of the water to the master of the banquet.

15. What did the master of the banquet say about the wine? (2:10)

The master seemed surprised the good wine had been saved and served last.

16. What did Jesus achieve by the first of his "signs"? (2:11)

Jesus "revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him."

DIMENSION TWO: WHAT DOES THE BIBLE MEAN?

Introduction. Most of us have been confronted by John's Gospel. In Sunday school we have heard stories from it. In worship services we have heard sermons based on it and have participated in the liturgy drawn from the Gospel. The words of John have comforted us at funerals and given courage in times of uncertainty, anxiety, disappointment, and stress. So John's Gospel is already a part of us, already a present help.

We shall approach the Gospel as a personal message of God — through the unknown author John — to the church and to us. We want to concentrate on bringing out the permanent values of John for us today.

Many studies of John begin by speculating on who wrote the book, whether it was from the hand of one author, when and where the book was written, the Hellenistic (Greek) and Jewish influences in the Gospel, and the relationship of John to the other Gospels. These are important questions, but they are not central to the present study. We do not want to approach the Gospel as a mysterious puzzle to be solved. We want to see it as a portrait of Jesus Christ and an account of what God is doing through him.

So when we read John's Gospel, we should be primarily concerned with what arises in our minds and hearts as we read, with what the Holy Spirit says to us through the printed page. The Word of God is not printed propositions. It is a living, personal Word that reaches us in the depths of our being.

The Word is Jesus Christ, God's personal self-communication to us. In this study, therefore, we should think of John's Gospel as a personal letter of God, telling us about Jesus Christ and his mission of love to us and to the whole earth. John's Gospel is God's Word already spoken to our desolation. It is the proclamation that in Christ the eternal God has triumphed over sin and death.

The study should help us get a sharp focus on the whole of the Gospel of John. You know what happens when a photographer simply and carelessly lifts a camera, randomly presses a button, and then develops the film. Because the photographer failed to study the whole setting and its light and shadows, the camera failed to get a picture that was worth the effort. Such picture-taking may warn us of errors we may commit in the study of the Fourth Gospel.

To get to the heart of any literary composition we have to understand the author's purpose. The author of John makes his purpose clear: "Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name" (20:30-31).

John 1:1-18. We turn to the Prologue. If a class member is familiar with musical productions, ask that person to discuss the functions of the overture and its place in an opera or a symphony. Point out that an overture presents and repeats the musical themes from the rest of the production. An overture acts as a teaser, making the listener eager to hear more of the theme music as it is presented throughout the symphony or opera. Why is this term appropriate for the discussion of the Prologue to the Gospel of John?

John 1:1-18 is also like the lead paragraph of a journalistic article. It serves to hold the whole composition together. It suggests to the reader the direction the author is going. It defines the area of discussion.

Read John 1:1-18 aloud. This section of John is poetry except for verses 6-8 and 15. Why would the author choose a poem to introduce the Gospel?

Poetry is a special way for writer and reader to share in truth. Poets deal in images and rhythms that evoke deep...