For instance, different people have certain things that stick out to them based on how the perceive the world and on their experiences in their lives (“Historical Reliability of the Gospels,” 2009).While I was reading this article, I kept thinking of the saying: “show, don’t tell” – something my high school English teacher used to repeat to my class as a mantra. Wiles) “The cross is more than a sign; it is also the thing signified.” Sadly, we sometimes miss, or underplay, the obvious in our theological studies!Also the older book: The Fourth Gospel, Its Significance and Environment, by R.H. Strachan, (SCM Press LTD, 1917/1941..I have the reprint from 1941, 1951). as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been This is beneficial to people who are looking to become new believers as they can better understand what John is trying to articulate. Mark’s gospel served the purpose of helping the Gentile world understand 23). It goes much further than that. John is different in a variety of ways in that it leaves out a few seemingly important pieces to the other three gospels. While John does explicitly tell us on several occasions who Jesus is and how he is the Son of God – John’s Gospel is different than the three synoptic Gospels in that he describes Jesus’s ministry and miracles in order to direct the reader towards the truth of Jesus being the Messiah.

John in a way seems to cover some of the main ideas that were missed within the previous Gospels, which makes John more meaningful/different. To many modern Christians, this may seem like a tame and obvious statement to make, but the reality is the culture of Christianity during the time of John was not refined. For generations, the Jewish people had been looking forward to the day when the Messiah would come and rescue them. John wrote the gospel some thirty years after the death of Paul, from Ephesus, the city where Paul had his most success among Gentiles.  Copyright 2003-2020 by Get To Know The Bible Ministries Inc.  Permission is granted for reproduction for non-commercial, personal use or for use in one classroom. I still do not completely understand Köstenberger’s “working hypothesis” regarding the fall of Jerusalem. The Samaritan Woman (John 4) is a possible example, but Samaritans are a in many ways neither Jew nor Gentile.  No portion of this site may be reproduced for purposes of resale or profiting in any way without the prior permission of the copyright holder who may be reached atnless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations in this website are from the ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version) Copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

This paradox was sufficiently addressed in the book, and, with an illumination from the Spirit, the information provided is necessary to attain salvation.To the first question you pose “how do we account for these differences?” I would first look to the scriptures, 2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. God doesn’t want it to only mean it for a certain people group but for everyone so that we have a chance to learn about our heavenly Father and that is why I think John isn’t just written for Jews but for people who truly want to understand and grow deeper in their knowledge of God.The purpose of John’s Gospel really does seem to be a way of pointing both Jewish and Gentile Christians to Jesus.

There is evidence of his attempts to do so with both the Gentiles and the Jews who some see him as a threat to the community.I had not thought about the reason why John feels so much more different is because the other three gospels are so similar to one another.

In other words, without a thorough and accurate understanding of who Jesus was, the religion of Christianity is simply empty and devoid of life and truth.

approach than the others.  If one wants While reading the book of John I also came to the conclusion that he was justifying Jesus as the messiah and the one who came from the father. The purpose of this gospel, as stated by John himself, is to show that Jesus of Nazareth was Christ, the Son of God, and that believers in him might have eternal life. The topics the John sought after were meant to be fuel in the kindling of an understanding that would strengthen a move toward believe in Christ.I invite the participants to explore an alternative viewThe Gospel of John is unique compared to the Synoptic Gospels. 31-33).  Used by permission.  Jesus is different because they were written for different purposes and different What catches my eye is that John wrote to Jews and barely mentions the Gentiles.