John 3 and 4 - Class Answers

1. 3:1-8 What does it mean to be born of water and the Spirit? (Other scriptures that speak of water, Spirit or new birth are John 1:26, 33: Acts 2:38; Romans 6:4; Titus 3:4-7.) Comments: It means we must submit ourselves to water baptism by which we receive the Holy Spirit and enter the kingdom of God. Verse 3 says a person “can not” enter the kingdom without both water and the Spirit. In Romans 6:4, Paul teaches that after burial in baptism, we walk in newness of life. Before baptism, we were dead in our sins. In Titus 3:4-7, Paul parallels Christ’s teaching here when he writes that we are saved not by “works of righteousness which we have done” but through the “washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.”
2. 3:9-17 How are Jesus’ statements in verses 15 and 16 both universal and exclusive? In other words, how do they include all people but also exclude some people? (Also see 3:36.) Comments: Salvation through Christ is available to anyone and everyone – in all ages, cultures, and countries – who choose to believe in Him. The statement excludes those who do not believe.
3. 3:18-21 According to what Jesus says here, why do people avoid acknowledging Him? Comments: Because they prefer the darkness, where their sins are not exposed to the light. Note: As Christians we also need to be sure that when we study God’s word, we let it expose our sins so that we can make the necessary changes, i.e., repent.
4. 3:22-30 When John’s disciples came to him, what was their complaint? What was John’s attitude? Comments: They complained that this Jesus whom John had baptized was also baptizing and attracting followers. John responded that he had always said he came only to prepare the way for one greater than him. His joy was fulfilled like that of the friend of a bridegroom waiting for the bridegroom to come. Jesus must increase, and John must decrease. We would all do well to emulate John’s humility.
5. 3:31-36 When we accept Jesus’ testimony, what do we certify, or affirm? Comments: That God is true (v. 33). God gave all things into the hands of the Son.
6. 4:1-3 Why did Jesus leave Judea and go back to Galilee? Comments: Because the Pharisees heard that he was baptizing more disciples than John. Jesus avoided unnecessary conflict. Later, in John 7:1-9, he will decline his unbelieving brothers’ invitation to “show” himself “to the world” at the Feast of Tabernacles, because the time is not right.
7. 4:4-9 What did Jesus do that went against the customs of the time? Comments: He spoke to – and took water from – not only a Samaritan, but a Samaritan woman, who would have been shunned by most Jewish men of the time. Verse 4 states that he “needed” to go through Samaria – a moral necessity, maybe? Mark 7:24-30 recounts Jesus’ encounter with the Syro-phoenician woman, and her identification as a “dog.”
8. 4:10-15 What water did Jesus refer to? How did the Samaritan woman misunderstand it? Comments: He spoke of words of life – everlasting life. She understood it as physical water for a physical thirst. Side note: In 3:21, as an example of what the “light” does, Jesus exposes the woman’s sin.
9. 4:16-26 What does it mean to worship in spirit? What does it mean to worship in truth? Comments: God is a Spirit, and He received spiritual worship. The geographical location of worship doesn’t matter; attitude does, and so does faith based on truth – that God is One, and that Jesus is His Son. Side note: Notice that the Samaritan woman was looking for a Messiah to explain things – a teaching Messiah, whereas the Jews looked for a Messiah to be their king.
10. 4:27-38 What was the food that was important to Jesus? What do you think this means? Comments: To do the will of the One Who sent him, and to finish His work – the eternal scheme or redemption, planned before the foundations of the world (Ephesians 1:4). Jesus had a ministry that was more important to him than food. Side note: The disciples didn’t have an understanding of spiritual matters, either. The Samaritan woman looked for physical water; they talked of physical food.
11. 4:39-42 What caused the Samaritans to believe? Comments: They came to Jesus because of the word of the woman; they believed in Him through His word. Side note: A contrast of Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman: moral Jewish man/immoral Samaritan woman; named/unnamed; upper crust/lower class; dignified/sometimes flippant; no record of bringing anyone/brought the whole city to Jesus.
12. 4:43-54 Second Sign. What caused the royal official (nobleman) to believe? Comments: The healing of his son. In verse 47, the nobleman believed what he had heard about Jesus; in verse 53, he believed on Jesus.

Note: Looks like I neglected to post the questions on this one. If you need to look at or print the questions only, just click on the the “Download Study Guides” on the right, and you’ll find PDF versions of the Matthew, Mark, and John study guides. –CB

John 1 and 2 Comments

Personal Note: While preparing these lessons, I came across notes I took back in 1999 in a class taught by the late and much loved brother in Christ, Dr. Dowell Flatt, professor at Freed-Hardeman University. Many of the added notes come from that class. – Cheryl

1. 1:1-5 What do you discover about the Word in this passage? Who is He? Comments: He was 1) there at the beginning; 2) was with God; 3) was God; 4) necessary for creation; 5) life; 6) the light of men. Note: He was equal with God in 1) transcending time; 2) fellowship; 3) nature. Whereas the other gospels begin with either the birth of baptism of Christ, John begins with theology. His purpose is that men might believe. He is the Christ, the Word who became flesh (John 1:14).
2. 1:6-9 Who was the man sent from God? What was his purpose? Comments: John the Baptist. He came to bear witness of the light – that all might believe, or trust.
3. 1:10-13 What is the contrast between those who were “His own” and “children of God”? Comments: “His own” refers to those of his physical family, the Jews. Children of God are those who believe on him. They are born of God.
4. 1:14-18 Because of the character of the Word, what can we also know about God the Father? (See verses 14 and 17.) Comments: We see God through Jesus. If Jesus is full of grace and truth, so is God the Father. He “dwelt among us,” or, he “pitched His tent with us.” Note: To the Greeks, the gods were distant; to the Jews, God was close only to priests and prophets. But through Christ, He is close to each one of us.
5. 1:19-28 How did John identify himself in verse 23? How did he answer the Pharisees’ question about baptism? (Also see verse 31.) Comments: As the voice of one crying in the wilderness. John answered that he was baptizing with water, but One is coming whose sandal straps he wasn’t worthy to loose. Verse 31 states that that One would baptize with the Holy Spirit. Note: Loosing sandal straps might be just the thing a servant would do for his master. John says he wasn’t worthy to do even that for the Christ.
6. 1:29-34 With what two expressions does John identify Jesus in verses 29 and 34? Comments: 1) Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world; 2) Son of God.
7. 1:35-42 By what names is Jesus known in this passage? What progression in thinking do you see in Andrew, according to how he refers to Jesus? Comments: 1) Lamb of God; 2) Rabbi; 3) Messiah – Christ – Anointed One. In verse 38, Andrew calls him “Rabbi,” or “Teacher.” in verse 41, he calls Jesus the Messiah. Note: In the Jewish culture, a rabbi was more respected than even an earthly father, who merely brings us into this world. A rabbi takes us into the next world. In Judaism were three anointed offices: prophet, priest, and king. Jesus was all three.
8. 1:43-51 More identities of Jesus! By what names and/or descriptions is he known in this passage? Comments: 1) v. 45 - Jesus of Nazareth, Son of Joseph; 2) v. 47 - Rabbi, Son of God, King of Israel; 3) v. 51 – Son of Man. Note: “Son of Man” was Jesus’ favorite reference to himself. The term appears 13 times in John; 83 times in the other gospels.
9. 2:1-8 First Sign. When this wedding took place, how many days had passed since John identified Jesus as the Lamb of God (1:29)? Comments: Day 1 – John questions by the Pharisees. Day 2 – John identifies Jesus as the Lamb of God. Day 3 – John’s disciples begin following Jesus. Day 4 – Jesus calls Philip and Nathanael. Class answers varied from 1 to 3. It’s hard to know exactly what “On the third day” refers to. It could be part of this sequence, the third day since He left for Galilee, or even the third day of the wedding feast, which typically lasted 7 days.
10. 2:9-11 What were the quantity (v. 6) and quality of the wine Jesus produced from water? Comments: Each water pot held two or three firkins (KJV), which would be from 18 to 24 gallons each. The NJKV translates it “20 or 30 gallons” each – a total of 120 to 180 gallons. The quality was better than what the host had served.
11. 2:12-17 When was another time Jesus cleansed the temple? (See Mark 11:12-17.) Comments: In Mark, the incident was during the last week of his life. Note: It could refer to the same incident, since the writer of the gospel was more concerned about theology than either geography or chronology. There are some differences, though. For instance, no scourge or whip is mentioned in the other accounts (Matthew 21:12-13; Mark 11:15-17; Luke 20:45-46).
12. 2:18-24 What sign would demonstrate that Jesus had the authority to cleanse the temple? Why didn’t Jesus “entrust” (NIV) himself to the crowd? Comments: The resurrection from the dead. He didn’t entrust Himself to those who believed because of the signs, because He didn’t need anyone to testify of Him. He knew what they were made of.

John 1 and 2 Questions

1. 1:1-5 What do you discover about the Word in this passage? Who is He?
   
2. 1:6-9 Who was the man sent from God? What was his purpose?
   
3. 1:10-13 What is the contrast between those who were “His own” and “children of God”?
   
4. 1:14-18 Because of the character of the Word, what can we also know about God the Father? (See verses 14 and 17.)
   
5. 1:19-28 How did John identify himself in verse 23? How did he answer the Pharisees’ question about baptism? (Also see verse 31.)
   
6. 1:29-34 With what two expressions does John identify Jesus in verses 29 and 34?
   
7. 1:35-42 By what names is Jesus known in this passage? What progression in thinking do you see in Andrew, according to how he refers to Jesus?
   
8. 1:43-51 More identities of Jesus! By what names and/or descriptions is he known in this passage?
   
9. 2:1-8 First Sign. When this wedding took place, how many days had passed since John identified Jesus as the Lamb of God (1:29)?
   
10. 2:9-11 What were the quantity (v. 6) and quality of the wine Jesus produced from water?
    
11. 2:12-17 When was another time Jesus cleansed the temple? (See Mark 11:12-17.)
    
12. 2:18-24 What sign would demonstrate that Jesus had the authority to cleanse the temple? Why didn’t Jesus “entrust” (NIV) himself to the crowd?

Introduction to John

Author
The Apostle John is usually credited with the authorship of the fourth Gospel. First, the author had to have been an eyewitness of the ministry of Jesus (1:14; 19:35; 21:24). He would have also had a decent familiarity with Palestine before the destruction of the temple in AD 70, and would have been familiar with the Jewish way of life.

Early tradition also identifies the author as John. Irenaeus, a disciple of John's disciple Polycarp, is one of the earliest to associate John with the fourth Gospel. Like the other Gospels, the title "According to John" (KATA IWANNHN) is found in the earliest manuscripts.

Date and Location of Composition
John's Gospel is considered the last of the four canonical Gospels to be written. The majority of scholars date the Gospel in the period AD 90-100, though some have dated it much earlier.

Early church tradition suggests that John composed his Gospel in Ephesus (Asia Minor). An example of this is the testimony of Irenaeus: "Then John, the disciple of the Lord, who had even rested on his breast, himself also gave forth the Gospel, while he was living at Ephesus in Asia."

Purpose and Audience
John specifically states his purpose in 20:31, "But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name." Eusebius argued that John wrote in order to complement the Synoptics where they were lacking, while the Muratorian Canon suggested that his fellow disciples in Asia Minor urged him to write an account.

Themes and Theology
John presents man as belonging to one of two things: the darkness or the light. There is no in between. The darkness is associated with death, while the light is associated with life. This theme is developed throughout the Gospel.

One of the overriding themes throughout the New Testament is that Jesus is the Messiah. In presenting this, John's Gospel also makes it clear that Jesus is God (1:1, 8:57-58 with Exodus 3:14, 10:30-33, 20:28.)
Literary Style, Structure, and Other Issues

The Gospel of John varies from the Synoptic Gospels in many ways. J. Ramsey Michaels categorizes them into two types of variation: 1) the style and content of Jesus' teaching, and 2) the chronology and structure of Jesus' ministry. Another characteristic that sets John apart is his writing style. Concerning this, Clement of Alexandria stated that John was concerned with details and wrote a "spiritual gospel."

Outline
1:1-2:11 - Birth and Preparation
2:12-12:50 - Message and Ministry
13:1-21:25 - Death and Resurrection

Source: "The Gospel According to John," New Testament Introductions. Outline from www.christianity.about.com

The Seven Signs of John
1. Turning water into wine (2:1-12)
2. Healing the noblewoman's son (4:46-54)
3. Healing the man at Bethesda (5:1-47)
4. Feeding the 5000 (6:1-4)
5. Walking on Water (6:15-21)
6. Healing the Blind Man (9:1-41)
7. Raising of Lazarus (11:1-57)
GREATEST SIGN: Christ's Resurrection (2:18-22; 20:8-9)

Seven "I AM" Statements
1. I AM the Bread of Life (6:35)
2. I AM the Light of the World (8:12)
3. Before Abraham was, I AM (8:58)
4. I AM the Good Shepherd (10:11)
5. I AM the Resurrection and the Life (11:25)
6. I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life (14:6)
7. I AM the True Vine (15:1)