T H E
N E W T E S T A M E N T
COPYRIGHT BY W ILLIAM EVANS
THE GOSPEL OF JOHN
A. ITS IMPORTANCE T UTHER said that every Christian ■L / should exert himself to understand well the Gospel o f John and to be posted in it; for John is the m'aster Evangelist and his Gospel- the one, true, tenderest, chief gospel, a commentary and exposition o f the whole Bible. It was said by a German philosopher of the first half o f the century just closed, that the Gospel o f St. John was the Gospel o f the church o f the future ; that the church o f that time was: not yet upxto it. Whether or not this were true for that time and country, we do not believe it is tfue of the Church in America today. No Gospel is so dear, and none appeals so strongly to the hearts and minds o f Christian peo ple, as this Gospel. The church finds itself — its purposes, its ideals, its aspirations, its duty, its work, its life—in this Gospel, written by the beloved Apostle. Take away the Gospel o f John and where is our Nicene Creed, with its ringing trum pet sounds: “ God o f God, Light' o f Light, Very God o f Very God?” B. THE AUTHOR Name. - John, the Apostle, the disciple whom Jesus loved (2 1 :20, 25) ; and eye-witness o f the events recorded (cf. e. g. 1:14; 13:2; 18:15; 19:26, 35 ; 20:2, 3). The main source is John himself, his own recollec tion, his experiences, his life o f fellowship
with Jesus, continued, increased and pre served in its freshness by the Spirit of Truth (14:26). Also called “ Boanerges” (Mark 3.17) probably vehement, impulsive in nature (cf. Luke 9:51; Mark 9:38, 39; 10:35-45; 1 John 2 :4, 22). This name indi cated a trait o f character (cf. Genesis 32:28; John 1:42; 17:12; Acts 4:36). Home and Surroundings. His father and brother were fishermen, as was also John himself. His father’s name was Zebedee, his mother’s name Salome (Mark 15:40), and his brother’s, James. His family was doubtless well-to- do (Mark 1:20; Luke 5:10; 8 :3 ; Matthew 27:56; John' 19:27; 18:15). Nothing is said, religiously, o f his father. His mother was a follower o f Christ, and doubtless one o f the women who contributed o f their substance towards the sustenance o f Christ (Luke 8 :3 ; Mark 15:41). She followed Christ to the cross (19:25) and to the grave (Mark }6 :1 ). She may have been related to Jesus—His mother’s sister (John 19.25). This may account, to some extent at least, for the closeness o f intimacy between Christ and John. A Disciple of Christ. John a disciple o f the Baptist (1:35) — one o f the two which heard John speak and followed Jesus—Andrew; was one; John, the other ( 1 :40). His Call to Discipleship. Matthew 4:21, 22; Mark 1:19, 20; Luke
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