At a Glance
John at a Glance
John does not retell the other Gospels. He chooses certain signs and conversations from the life of Jesus, and he tells us why.
- Author. The apostle John, son of Zebedee, who calls himself the disciple whom Jesus loved (John 21:20; John 21:24). The book does not use his name, but Christians have always received it as John's. He also wrote 1, 2, and 3 John and Revelation.
- Date. About AD 85 to 95.
- Written To. Every reader, Jew and Gentile, so that they may believe (John 20:30–31).
- Setting. Judaea, Samaria, and Galilee, with several trips to Jerusalem for the feasts. Tradition places John at Ephesus in his old age when he wrote.
- Key Verse. John 20:31: that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
- Key Word or Theme. Believe, which appears about a hundred times. The theme is Jesus the Son of God, and life through faith in His name.
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Further reading
For Deeper Study
- Be AliveAmazon Warren W. WiersbeJohn 1–12. A warm, clear walk through the signs and the claims of Christ.
- John: The Gospel of BeliefAmazon Merrill C. TenneyA classic study that follows John's purpose from the signs to the cross.
- Exploring the Gospel of JohnAmazon John PhillipsA clear verse-by-verse exposition in the Exploring series.
- Foxe's Book of MartyrsAmazon John FoxeThe classic Protestant record of those who died for the faith, from the early church to the English Reformation.
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How the Bible Fits Together
The Bible is sixty-six books written by about forty men over some fifteen hundred years, yet it tells one story of God's redemption from creation to the new earth, and its center is Jesus Christ.
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