THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST'S DEITY

FIRST DIVISION (chapters 1-12).

Chapter 1:The Word of God.

"The beginning" here brings to our view a past eternity far beyond "the beginning" of Genesis 1:1. It is the Person of the Creator, the eternal existence, Personality and Deity of the Son.

The universe is set forth as the work of His hands. "All things came into being through Him." Then, "the Word became flesh," came in true and perfect humanity, which in grace and love He took. The disciples beheld His glory, as the only begotten with the Father.

The first eighteen verses are a preface to the entire Gospel. Then come the four days' ministry of John the Baptist; then that of the Lord Himself; each day has historical, moral and typical instruction.

CHAPTER 2:The Glory of God.

This chapter opens with a marriage feast. He who instituted marriage in Gen. 2:21 is here the invited guest but is really the Lord of the feast. The marriage of Gen. 2:21 and this one foreshadow the heavenly and the earthly marriage of the Lamb. The miracle* manifested His creatorial glory, and is followed by the cleansing of the temple. *Throughout this Gospel, wherever the word miracle occurs (Gr. semaion), it should read "sign." It was the display to all of His divine power and glory, hence o sign (see R. V. and J. N. D.'s Translation).*

CHAPTER 3:The Love of God.

Now, New Birth and Atonement are pointed out as necessities. The first, as the work of the Spirit in man; the second, as the work of our Lord on the cross for man. Both are an absolute necessity for any to enter the Kingdom of God. The love of God is manifested in the gift of His Son, who is and was eternal life-the present possession of every one that receives Him.

CHAPTER 4:The Gift of God.

Then He leaves Jerusalem and Judea, and turns His face towards the "Galilee of the Gentiles." In this period of absence from Jerusalem, a work of grace is wrought in other fields:first in Samaria, beside a historic well. The tender love and grace of Christ the Saviour is here displayed toward a sinner in the gift of "the living water," followed by a spontaneous testimony of the woman, "Come, see a Man who told me all things that ever I did; h not this the Christ?"

When again in Cana of Galilee, He but speaks the word, and the nobleman's son in Capernaum (26 miles distant) is healed-another display of His divine glory.

CHAPTER 5:The Power of God.
Now, beside the pool of the old dispensation, comes the display of present grace that came by Him, overshadowing the law of Moses, and divine power is manifested in the healing of the impotent man. The Jewish leaders' opposition is aroused by this, but Jesus announces His power to quicken dead souls into new life, as well as quicken and raise up the bodies of the dead by and by. Then we get the four-fold witness borne to Himself:(1) that of John the Baptist; (2) His own works; (3) that of His Father; (4) that of the Scriptures.

CHAPTER 6:The Bread of God.

The miracle of the loaves and fishes, then His walking on the sea, manifest His power and authority over His creation. This is followed by His discourse on "the bread of God come down out of heaven," of which the manna was a type, and those who eat of this heavenly bread live forever, and are assured that they shall be raised up at "the last day"-the whole resurrection period, beginning with that of the saints, then of the unjust after the 1000 years.

This faithful ministry tests the mass of those following Him, and many went back and walked no more with Him, but those drawn by the Father continue.

CHAPTER 7:The Spirit of God.

Opposition increases. They seek to kill Him. Neither did His own brethren yet believe in Him. At the feast, in Jerusalem, He announces again that He had come from the Father, and was about to return to Him that had sent Him, and that the doctrine He had taught them was of the Father.

The last day of the feast (the 8th day), His earnest appeal goes forth, "If any man thirst, let him come unto Me and drink," and from him would flow "rivers of living water;" it is the gift and effect of the Holy Spirit given by the Lord when risen.

The officers who were sent to apprehend Him returned saying, "Never man spake like this Man," and when Nicodemus raised his voice on His behalf in the council, all went to their homes, but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives-a striking contrast!

CHAPTER 8:The Grace of God.

The next morning they come again to ensnare the Lord, and the Light shines upon the accusers; they cannot bear the light, but grace in Him forgives the guilty, and those who follow Him will have "the light of life." The testimony that He bears was valid, confirmed as it was by the witness of the Father. How great their unbelief! Himself was the truth, and all that He said was truth. He again asserts His Deity-"Before Abraham was I am" (Exod. 3:14; John 8:58).

In the beginning of the chapter the leaders would stone the sinful woman, now at the close they would stone Him who came from heaven to save and forgive.

CHAPTER 9:Worship of Him who is the .Light of God.

Another sign is given. He who is the Light gives light to one "born blind." By His divine touch the darkness passes away. He who in the beginning said, "Let there be light," speaks again, and the light shines. Then, step by step, comes the testimony of the one brought out of the darkness into light-"One thing I know, that whereas I was blind, now I see," and the man now in the light worships Him as the Son of God.

CHAPTER 10:The Salvation of God.

The Good Shepherd enters the Jewish fold by the door -by God's appointed way-to become the door of salvation of the sheep; it necessitated that He lay down His life for them. Then He would gather His other sheep (Gentiles) not of the Jewish fold, and in Christianity there would be one Shepherd (Christ), and one flock (the Church) .

Once more He asserts His Deity, "I and my Father are one." This testimony was rejected by the Jews. He then passes on to other fields of labor beyond Jordan (His death), "and many believed on Him there"-typical of the day of grace.

CHAPTER 11:The Comfort of God.

At Bethany, in-the beloved family, sickness and death enter, and Jesus is sent for. In the presence of death He declares, "I am the Resurrection and the Life." "Jesus wept." His love and tender sympathy are manifested to them. Then, at His word, "Lazarus, come forth," fresh proof of His mastery over death is shown.

The opposition increases. As high priest, Caiaphas is made to prophesy of His death for the nation. Jesus then withdraws from them for a season with His disciples, near to the city "Ephraim (fruitful)-a fresh glimpse of what this dispensation will yield for Him.

CHAPTER 12:The Judgment of God.

The Lord comes to a little gathering of His own in Bethany "six days before the passover" (the first day of the week), and there they made Him a supper. There Mary pours ointment upon Him, and the house is filled with the perfume. It is a picture of worship from His people ever since.

Again He enters the city, and the Greeks seek after Him:"Sir, we would see Jesus." The cross then looms up before Him, and He announces, "Now is the judgment of this world." The whole period of man's probation was closing; the place where the world would be judged (the cross) would also be the place where salvation for all men would be found:"And I, if I be lifted up … will draw all men unto Me." The brazen altar is in view, where He offered Himself-a sacrifice most holy.

SECOND DIVISION(chapters 13-17).

CHAPTER 13:The Laver.

In the previous chapter we get the lesson of the brazen altar, the place of sacrifice. Here it is the laver-His present ministry, washing the feet of "His own"-typical of the "washing of water by the Word," and He charges the disciples to follow His example and wash one another's feet. Finally, He gives His new commandment, to "love one another."

CHAPTER 14:The True Sanctuary.

After the brazen altar and the laver, the way into the sacred precincts of the Father's presence is given:through Him we come to the Father.

Then He announces His going away to the Father's house, which was for them too. But they would have "the Comforter," and His word to guide them, and as an abiding hope, His coming again, which has been the hope of His own ever since.

CHAPTER 15:Fruit-bearing.

Israel in unbelief is replaced by "the True Vine." Living connection and communion with Himself would be necessary for fruit-bearing. Discipleship and testimony are the privilege and responsibility of His own through the world where He has left them for a time.

CHAPTER 16:The Witness of the Spirit.

Again the Lord announces His return to the Father. During His absence they would have tribulation. But the Holy Spirit would be sent into the world to bring conviction of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment, and He would guide the disciples into all the truth, and thus complete the revelation. Thus they would have in the Word a revelation of His mind and will. As identified with Himself, they could come in prayer to the Father with assurance of being heard. Again they are told that while in the world they would have tribulation, yet in Him they would have peace.

CHAPTER 17:High Priestly Intercession.

The High Priest (as in white linen garments) intercedes for us in the Father's presence, and we hear the breathings of His heart for His own. Let us open our ear and our heart to it again and again. Eternal life as our present portion, His Word for our sanctification, and His glory as our blessed hope are there spoken of in our hearing.

THIRD DIVISION (chapters 18-20).

CHAPTER 18:Man's hour and Satan's power.

Leaving the upper room, our Lord crosses the Cedron, and enters Gethsemane (the oil-press), where, in the shadow of the cross, He takes that dreaded "cup" from the Father's hand-not from man nor from Satan. In Luke in prayer and agony His sweat "becomes as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground" (Lk. 22:41-44); but in John His divine glory is prominent, not His agony and sorrow, and Judas and his followers fall backward at His mere word.

Now it is man's hour:the disciples forsake Him; the Sanhedrim insult Him, and Pilate condemns Him while testifying, "I find no fault in Him," and releases a murderer.

CHAPTER 19:His Sacrifice.

Scourged and crowned with thorns, Jesus is led to Golgotha (place of a skull), to the suffering of death. What volumes might be written on this one chapter! Types, Psalms and prophecy were then fulfilled, and He cried, "IT IS FINISHED," and the Holy One was laid in Joseph's new "sepulcher wherein was never man yet laid."

CHAPTER 20:His Victory.

A new day has dawned, "He is not here, He is risen." Mary is the first witness and messenger of this. Then in the upper room to the gathered disciples (typical of the heavenly company) He appears again after seven days. At this second appearing to the gathered company, He manifests Himself to Thomas, type of the Jewish remnant. The last verses tell why the Gospel was written:That men "might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing, they might have life through His name."

APPENDIX:CHAPTER 21:Shepherd Care.

The good Shepherd is again active in seeking the sheep that had wandered. He appears, the third time to them collectively, now beside the familiar lake. The fire of coals, the food prepared, may remind them all of His divine care, and Peter receives before them all his new commission:"Feed my lambs;" "Feed my sheep;" and "Till I come . . . follow thou Me."

We are once more reminded of His divine glory and infinite fulness in all things that He did. The book closes where it began-with His Godhead glory, for which man's books are insufficient.
A. E. B.