THE KING'S BUSINESS
283
bu .• . •' ^ Studies in the Gospel According to John EyfaB^ 1 ''' 1 ' By R. A. Torreyi D.D. {Introductory Notes Continued) . -, _ - - '. . " .
7 7 T H E V I S I O N S OP THE GOSPEL. O l it is doubtful if John made before- * ^ ^ hand a plan for the writing of the Gospel, or whether he had at any time k any regularly arranged divisions , in his own mind; nevertheless, the book is of a most logical character, not only in substance but in form, and yields very ^ readily to systematic, logical division. Many divisions have been proposed, and many of these are strikingly similar to • one another. The general divisions sug- gested by Canon Westcott are as fol- WWlows: First, THE PROLOGUE, Ch. 1: 1-18. The Word in His absolute, eternal being; and in relation to creation. Second, THE NARRATIVE. 1: 19; XXI: 23. The self-revelation of Christ to the world and to the disciples. The second division he subdivides as follows: I. T HE SELF - REVELAT ION OF CHR I ST TO THE WORLD. I: 19-XXI. 50. 1. The proclamation. I: 19-IV: 54. (1) The testimony of Christ. I: 19- II: 11. Of the Baptist. I: 19-24. Of the Disciples. 1:35-51. Signs (Water turned to wine). II: 1-11. (2) The work of Christ. II. 13-IV: 54. In Judea (Nicodemus). II: 13- III: 36. S'amaria (The woman of Sama- ria.) IV: 1-42. Galilee, (The nobleman's son healed.) IV: 43-54. Unbelief as yet passive. 2. THE CONFLICT. V: 1-XII: 50.. (1) The prelude (V, VI). (a) In Jerusalem. (The impotent man healed on the Sabbath) V. (b) In Galilee (The five thousand fed) VI. (2) The great controversy (VII-XII.) (a) The revelation of faith and unbelief. VII-X. The feast of Tabernacles, VII, VIII. The feast of Dedication (The blind man healed on the Sabbath) IX, X. The Son of the Father.
(b) The decisive judgment, XI, XII. The final sign and its issues. (The raising of Lazarus) XI. The close of Christ's public min- istry. XII. II. THE SELF-REVELATION OF CHRIST TO THE DISCIPLES. (XIII- XXI. 1. The last ministry of love. XIII- XVII. (1) The last acts of love VIII: 1-30. (2) The last discourses. XIII: 31-XVI: 33. In the chamber. XIII. 31-XIV. On the way. XV, XVI. (3) The prayer of consecration. XVII. 2. The victory through death. (XVIII-XX.) <1> The betrayal (XVIII: 1-11). (2) The double trial (XVIII: 12- XIX: 16.) (3) The end (XIX: 17-42.) 3. The epilogue. XXI. (1) The Lord and the body of disciples. (The miraculous draught of fishes) XXI: 1-14. (2) The Lord and individual dis- ciples. XXI: 15-23. The division proposed by Dean Alford is as follows (omitting his subdivisions) I.—PROLOGUE. In which is contain- ed the subject and substance of the whole Gospel. Ch. 1: 1-18. II. INTRODUCTION OF CHRIST TO THE WORLD. BY THE WITNESS OF JOHN. Ch. 1: 19-40. BY HIMSELF. Ch. 1: 41-11. 11.. III. FIRST MANIFESTATION OF HIMSELF AS THE SON OF GOD. IN JERUSALEM AND JUDEA. II: 12-IV: 54. IV. JESUS IN CONFLICT WITH THE JEWS. Chs. V, VI. V. JESUS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. The conflict at its height. Chs. VII-XX. VI. JESUS, DELIVERED TO DEATH, THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE, AND THE JUDGMENT. Chs. XI-XII. VII. JESUS AND HIS OWN. Chs. XIII-XX. 1. His love and the faith of His own. Chs. XIII-XVII.
Made with FlippingBook Online document