The Backstory: The Prologue

Relevant Verses: John 21 Theme: Knowing Jesus Leading Question: What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus? Question: Can you think of any events in your life that seemed bad at the time but in hindsight were meaningful? The last chapter in the Gospel of John contains Jesus’ appearance to the disciples on the shores of the Sea of Tiberius. One recognizes here multiple resonances with themes occurring throughout the Gospel. The disciples have returned to their job of fishing, and it is into the ordinariness of daily life that the resurrected Jesus reveals himself. The Gospel provides a list of ...

Relevant Verses: John 18:33–19:5; 19:17–27; 20:1–18 Theme: The Crucified and the Risen Jesus In his book Night, Elie Wiesel describes a scene from the concentration camp in Auschwitz: One day, as we returned from work, we saw three gallows, three black ravens, erected on the Appelplatz. Roll call. The SS surrounding us, machine guns aimed at us: the usual ritual. Three prisoners in chains – and, among them, the little pipel, the sad-eyed angel. The SS seemed more preoccupied, more worried, than usual. To hang a child in front of thousands of onlookers was not a small matter. The head of the ...

Relevant Verses: John 14:10, 24; 16:7–11; 17:1–26 Theme: Inseparable Companionship Leading Question: What is your preferred way of thinking about the Trinity? John's Gospel has been a significant source for the Christian doctrine of the Trinity from the patristic period to the present. The Fourth Gospel cintains the most comprehensive raw material for this doctrine, but also the most highly developed patterns of reflection about the oneness of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus’ Farewell Speech in John 14–16 is especially rich in this regard. After Jesus’ response to Thomas, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one ...

Relevant Verses: John 14:1–6 Theme: Jesus, the Only Way Leading Question: How do we know the way to God? In postmodern times, one of the most important discussions in Christianity is whether salvation, or soteriology (soteria in Greek means "salvation"), is particular or universal. Is salvation only through Christ? If there are other ways to reach up to the Father, then why did the Son have to come and die? Interestingly, the Gospel of John is the most important source for this very question about Christian particularity or universalism. In John 14:6, we read that no one can come to the Father ...

Relevant Verses: John 1:4, 12, 13; 6:61-68; 10:10; 14:6 Theme: Life in Abundance Leading Question: What metaphor do you like to use to describe life? The Gospel of John begins with God as the life-giver: times. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of all people.(John 1:4 NRSV) The theme of life appears with the Greek word zoe 36 times in John’s narrative and uses word pictures or metaphoric language to describe “life” and “eternal life” like, light, a well of fresh water, bread, Jesus’ flesh, Jesus’ blood, and Jesus’ words. In John 6:1-15, Jesus takes five loaves of bread and multiplies ...

Relevant Verses: John 5:17, 20, 36–40, 46, 47; 8:12–30 Theme: The Father’s Testimony Leading Question: Have you ever waited for something important to happen and it felt like a life time? Healing on Sabbath (John 5)There were many who were sick—the blind, the lame, and the paralyzed—all aying at the pool gate of Bethesda. The man who was ill for 38 years was singled out. The length of time that the man has been ill, in the context of a human life span in the first century, suggests that he has been sick virtually his entire life. This includes his life-long dependance ...

Relevant Verses: John 8:54–58; 12:1–8; 19:4–22; 20:19– 31 Theme: Signs Faith versus Blessed Faith Leading Question: What do you need to believe? The tension between signs faith and belief without having seen is a curious one in John’s Gospel. On one hand, Jesus’ sings are featured with prominence in order that people might believe that Jesus is the Messiah. On the other hand, Jesus rebukes the seeking of signs, and those who believe without having seen are considered blessed. The Anointing of JesusThe anointing of Jesus, like previous sign acts in the Gospel of John, is described in a single verse, indicating that ...

Relevant Verses: John 1:32–36; 3:25–36; 5:36–38; 6:51–71; 7:37–53 Theme: The Scandal of Jesus Leading Question: Have you ever felt offended by something Jesus asked you to do? The miracle of the loaves and fish is recounted in all four Gospels. According to John’s account in chapter 6, this miracle becomes a “sign” pointing beyond itself on a much deeper level. Jesus left after feeding the people and crossed to the other side of the Sea of Galilee but was pursued by the crowd who asked for further miracles. They eventually found him in the synagogue in Capernaum. Here, John’s Gospel tells us, ...

Relevant Verses: John 4 Theme: The Witness of the Samaritan Woman Leading Question: Does a personal relationship with Jesus always feel good and comfortable? There could be no character more opposite to Nicodemus than the Samaritan woman at the well. Question: What are some of the contrasts you can draw between Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman? Question: What do you make of the detail that “it was necessary” for Jesus to go through Samaria on his journey from Judea to Galilee (John 4:3-4)? Is it just a geographical detail? Is it a theological necessity? (Remember: “God so loves the world …”) Question: What is the ...

Relevant Verses: John 1; 3 Theme: Witnesses of the Messiah Leading Question: How comfortable are you with being a permanent bystander or witness for someone else? There came a man sent from God, whose name was John.He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him.He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.John 1:6-8 A key term in the Gospel of John is the word “witness,” which appears 14 times in the Gospel. The purpose is to show that Jesus is God in the flesh and messiah. To do this, the ...