Gospel of John

Definition and Meaning

The Gospel of John is the last of the four Gospels. Church tradition has identified its author as the apostle John, one of the Twelve Disciples. The text itself refers to the author as "the disciple whom Jesus loved" (John 21:20, 24). The book states its purpose directly: that readers might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing they might have life (John 20:31).

Biblical and Historical Background

Matthew, Mark, and Luke are called the Synoptic Gospels (Gospels that can be viewed side by side) because of their similar content and order. The Gospel of John draws on different material and follows a different structure. Its main features include the following:

• The prologue (1:1–18) introduces Jesus as "the Word" (Greek logos) and speaks of the Incarnation, in which the Word became flesh.
• Miracles that reveal Jesus' identity, beginning with the turning of water into wine, are called "signs." A widely used interpretation reads the book's structure around seven signs.
• A series of "I am" sayings appears, such as "I am the bread of life" and "I am the good shepherd."
• The Farewell Discourse at the Last Supper in chapters 13–17 contains the promise to send the Comforter (the Helper), the Holy Spirit, and the new commandment to love one another (John 13:34).

Many date the book to the late first century. Scholars continue to debate whether the author should be identified as the apostle John alone or whether the work passed through the hands of a community of his followers. The church has read the book as an important foundation for the doctrines of Christology and the Trinity.

Practice in Korean Churches

John 3:16 is the most widely memorized verse in Korean churches. It frequently appears in evangelism tracts and on church banners. Many churches recommend the Gospel of John to new believers as the first book of the Bible to read, and some print it as a separate booklet for distribution. The Gospel of John published in Manchuria in 1882 by John Ross and his collaborators is known as an early example of Korean Bible translation. During Holy Week, some churches hold a foot-washing service modeled on the scene in chapter 13 in which Jesus washes the disciples' feet.

Several passages are interpreted differently across denominations.

• Interpretations of "Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood" in chapter 6 diverge first over whether the saying should be connected to the Lord's Supper at all. Even among those who read it in reference to the Lord's Supper, Lutheran, Presbyterian and Reformed, and Baptist understandings differ (see Eucharistic controversy).
• Many denominations connect "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit" in 3:5 with baptism. Baptists sometimes cite "because there was much water there" in 3:23 as support for baptism by immersion (see Baptism and immersion).