John

The Gospel of John is the fourth account of the life of Jesus, traditionally attributed to the apostle John, the son of Zebedee, who calls himself the disciple whom Jesus loved. Written later than Matthew, Mark, and Luke, it stands apart from the other three Gospels in style and content. Instead of parables and short sayings, John gives long conversations and extended teaching, and he states his purpose plainly: these things are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life through his name.

John opens before creation itself: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was made flesh. The book is built around seven miraculous signs, from turning water to wine at Cana to raising Lazarus from the dead, and seven I AM sayings, including the bread of life, the light of the world, the good shepherd, and the way, the truth, and the life. It gives us Nicodemus and the new birth, the woman at the well, the healing at Bethesda, and John 3:16, the most quoted verse in the Bible. Nearly half the book covers the final week, including the upper room, the cross, and the empty tomb.

John matters because it answers the greatest question of all: who is Jesus? Its answer is unmistakable, Jesus is God in the flesh, and eternal life comes by believing in him. Doubting Thomas speaks for the whole book when he falls before the risen Christ and says, My Lord and my God.