Christ in John’s Gospel

~ Jesus Christ Is The Son of God (The God-Man) ~

The Bible is about Jesus Christ  ~  “Jesus said to them, ‘How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!  Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter His glory?’  And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself” (Luke 24:25-27).

Christ in the Gospel of John  ~  Whereas Luke presented Jesus Christ as the Son of Man,  John presents Jesus Christ as the Son of God!  John is careful to show that Christ is the fulfillment of the promised Savior in the Hebrew Scriptures.  John’s emphasis is on who He is, and appropriately begins his account with Jesus Christ at the Creation of the world. 

The Messiah’s Own Words  ~  The Book of Numbers records:  “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.’  So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived” (Numbers 21:8-9).  John records Jesus Christ saying the following:  “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.  For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:14-17).

God the Father described Himself to Moses as “I AM” (Exodus 3:14).  God the Son also described Himself as “I AM” (John 8:58).  In fact, several times in the Gospel of John He refers to Himself as “I am.” 

“I am the Bread of Life” (6:35-51).

“I am the Light of the World” (8:12, 9:5).

“I am the Door” (10:7-9).

“I am the Good Shepherd” (10:11-14).

“I am the Son of God” (10:36).

“I am the Resurrection and the Life” (11:25).

“I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (14:6).

“I am in the Father, and the Father in Me (14:10-11).

“I am the True Vine” (15:1-5). 

Comments  ~  1. The fulfillment of prophecies about which John writes were about the life of Jesus Christ.  The references were not always about Jesus Himself but the events surrounding His time on earth (sometimes the prophecies were fulfilled by His friends or His enemies).  2. While on earth Jesus Christ often quoted Scriptures in reference to Himself.  3. The Apostle Paul told us the Scriptures present many shadows of things to come but the reality is found in Jesus Christ (Colossians 2:17). 

Summary of Christ in John’s Historical Account  ~  John’s account of the life of Jesus Christ presents Him as the God-Man—the only begotten Son of God.  John’s emphasis is on what He was, about His deity, and the way of love.  John begins with eternity past—in keeping with His divine nature.  John ends with The Messiah’s Second Coming—The Messiah’s promised return.

Compare the Following Passages: 

John 1:23 with Isaiah 40:3-5

John 3:14-15 with Numbers 21:8-9 (above)

John 12:13 with Psalm 117:26

John 12:15 with Zechariah 9:9

John 12:40 with Isaiah 6:9-10

John 19:24 with Psalms 21:18

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

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