The purpose of this Gospel is to report the signs, usually called miracles in the other Gospels, so that the reader might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that, through believing, he might obtain life eternal (20.30-31). The signs which teh author reports give evidence of Christ's supernatural power in areas of life where man was impotent. The word "believing (trust, adhere to, rely on)" occurs ninety-eight time throughout this book. The assured result of this belief of faith in Jesus Christ is the posession of eternal life.

Jesus in introduced in chapter one as the Word or Logos. In this way Jesus is identified as the essence of God's revelation as He lived in this world. As the "Lamb of God" Jesus provides salvation for "whoever" believes in (trust in, adheres to, relies on) Him. The facts that Jesus is the Son of God is repeatedly indicated. At the same time, the humanity of Jesus is reflected in statements that He was weary, impatient, sorrowful, appreciative, and loving (see 4.6-7;6.26-27;8.44;11.35;12.7,27;13.1;18.8,23).

In contrast to the prophets, who repeatedly asserted "Thus says the Lord," Jesus was unique in asserting "I AM" in His messages. John records Jesus as saying "I AM" the: Bread of Life (6.35); Light of the world (8.12;9.5); Door (10.7); Good Shepherd (10.11-14); Resurrection and the Life (11.25); Way and the Truth and the Life (14.6); True Vine (15.1).

Evidence points to John as the author of this Gospel. The book itself seems to reflect repeatedly that the author was an eyewitness to and a participant in many of the events which he records. When the authorship is narrowed down to the twelve apostles, John seems to be the best candidate, since he very likelyu is the "disciple whom Jesus loved" mentioned in 13.23. External testimony from the church fathers, beginning with Irenaeus, is strongly in favor of the view that John son of Zebedee wrote the Gospel bearing his name.

A Galilean fisherman (Mark 1.19-30) when Jesus called him, John with his brother James joined with Andrew and Peter in becoming Jesus' diciples. His mother, Salome, probably was the sister of Mary the mother of Jesus (see Matt 27.56; Mark 15.40; John 19.25). John may have been the companion of Andrew as one of the disciples of John the Baptist (John 1.40).

The experiences and events in the life of Christ where John was intimately involved are numerous. As a disciple he participated in the mission of the Twelve. Jesus speaks of John and Jemes as "sons of thunder" (Mark 3.17). In Christ's transfiguration experience, John was one of the three witnesses to the divine revelation confirming Jesus as the Son of God. In the passion and resurrection narratives, John is repeatedly indentified.

Irenaeus and other church fathers point to Ephesus as the residence of John. Polycrates mentions Ephesus as the place of his burial. Very likely it was here that John, the beloved disciple of Jesus, composed his Gospel near the close of the first century.

Chapters

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