THE BOOK OF JOHN 1:1-5 INTRODUCTION

Mike Balloun teaches today. 07/31/21

THE BOOK OF JOHN 1:1-5
INTRODUCTION

VERSES: Psalm 50; Hebrews 1:1-3; Zechariah 3:8,6:12-13,9:9; Colossians 2:9

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THE BOOK OF JOHN: INTRODUCTION AND VERSES 1-5

The Gospel/Book of John was written by the Apostle John probably from the city of Ephesus between 70-80 AD. That date being the general consensus, which would put this Book after the fall of Jerusalem to Rome. John was the son of Zebedee, and was the brother of James (together called the “Sons of Thunder” by Jesus). He was the youngest of the disciples, but lived to be the oldest, the others having been martyred. God, for an Age-lasting record of Who Christ was/is, gives John flawless insight and Holy Spirit-guided words to write. He, having been an eye witness, and having the heart and mind of God, gives inspired testimony from the Holy Spirit to the Jews and Gentiles who were and would always be questioning the origin and nature of Jesus in relation to God.

It was the last of the four Gospels, the other three having been written 10-20 years earlier. Thought to be written before the Epistles of John (1st, 2nd, and 3rd John), and certainly before 96 AD, which is when the last book John wrote was; that being the Book of Revelation.

The Bible, although penned and compiled by men, from Genesis through Revelation is to the Christian the inspired Written Word of God. The Book of John the Apostle is one of 4 Books that are called the ‘Gospels’ (good news/messages) of the New Testament. The New Testament may be divided up into 4 groups without harm for clearer understanding:
The four Gospels
The Acts of the Apostles and the General Epistles (including the earlier Letters of Paul, and of Peter, James, etc.)
The later Pauline Epistles (Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians)
The Revelation of Christ given to John the Apostle

The overall theme or subject of the Old and New Testament is the coming of The King and His Kingdom (although the Jews of Christ’s day had a very different understanding of the Messiah and His Coming Kingdom. Why did the Jews reject such a strong candidate to be that promised King? Of course it was pride and jealousy, but it was much more than that. The environment Christ came into was one where opinions concerning that King/Messiah were skewed by decades and decades of religious ideas and interpretations of the Old Testament. When Truth came, it contrasted with this environment of darkness).

The 4 ‘Gospels’ proclaim God’s King and Kingdom to the Nation of Israel, as did the Books of the Old Testament, especially the prophets. Nevertheless, the Kingdom is rejected (by all but a few) and the King is crucified in Jerusalem. The King and Kingdom are then put in abeyance (temporary suspension) as God turns to call another people to His Son’s Kingdom. (To inherit the heavenly portion of that kingdom, not the earthly, as the Jews never lost the promise of the earthly due to God’s faithfulness to the promises He made to the patriarchs; Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.)

The Book of Acts records the re-offering of the future King and Kingdom to the Jews and reveals their continued unbelief; and finally their ultimate rejection. (Acts 2:38, 3:19-26, 28:16-28) During this timeframe (the past 2000 years in this Age of mercy and grace), the Gospel of the Coming King and Kingdom is being offered to Gentiles as documented in the General Epistles including Paul’s earlier Letters to the Church.

Then we have the later letters from Paul (letters as of his first imprisonment in Rome). These Epistles fully reveal the mysteries of the heavenly kingdom of Christ; Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians. They together reveal and proclaim Jesus Christ exalted to the right hand of the Father and made Head over all things to the Church, which is his body (Ephesians 1:20-23, Philippians 2:9-11, Colossians 1:24-29) wherein is found the mystery or the Kingdom of heavens and its King being revealed (after Israel as a Nation is rejected. Ephesians 3:1-12, Colossians 1:24-29). His Kingship and Kingdom, both the earthly, and heavenly portions “we see not yet” as they are in suspension (Hebrews 2:8) as God calls out Gentiles for His name.

The Revelation is the final Written Word of God. It reveals the future investiture (formal ceremony) of Jesus Christ as King (Chapter 4) and proceeds quickly with establishing His Kingdom in the heavens (associated with this Earth) and in the Earth through His judgments, power and glory. The King is then enthroned. The Old Testament was completed with the last Old Covenant prophet Malachi’s writing and God did not speak again on the Earth until John the Baptist over 400 years later. Likewise, with the New Testament...

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