Lesson 1 - Seven Signs of the Savior

Sometimes we don't fully grasp the attack that the Holy Scriptures are under by the world. If Satan will cause doubt and confusion in any way he can. In fact Paul in the book of Roman's warns us that whatever is not of faith is sin. One of the ways that doubt to God's word is brought into play is by bringing doubt upon statements or beliefs found or believed to be found in the Bible. The Gospel of John has been on the enemies radar for many many years. It of course is unique in style, language, and delivery from the previous three Gospels of Matthew, Mark & Luke which are often called the Synoptic Gospels.

Some of the things we notice as different are, John omits some events and happenings that one or more of the other synoptic Gospels include. There is no account of Jesus' birth, his baptism, no last supper, no ascension, no parables

And yet John includes some events and happenings that the other Gospels omit - in fact 90% of the book of John is unique to John, not found in any other Gospel. John's Gospel is the one that tells us that Jesus had an early ministry in Judea, that Jesus' ministry was about three years, instead of the supposed or implied one year in the other Gospels. This Gospel alone gives us the story of changing the water into wine, of Nicodemus, the woman of Samaria, the raising of Lazarus, the final sermons of Jesus to his disciples

Walter Elwell and Robert Yarbrough say, "For these reasons some scholars have questioned whether John even knew of the Synoptics."

James Montgomery Boice explains, "It is probably because John is so different (and so spiritual) that some scholars have attacked this book strongly. Otherwise, it seems strange that this Gospel, which has been such a blessing to Christian people, should become the outstanding example among the New Testament books of what a section of God's Word can suffer at the hands of the higher critics of the Scriptures. One would have thought that the historical accuracy and apostolic authorshipof John would have been defended stoutly. But this has not been the case until recently. Instead there had been a generation of scholarship (not so many years ago) that thought that John was not at all reliable. In this period all but the most conservative scholars said that the Gospel must have been written at least 150 or even 200 years after Christ's death. Many placed it in a literary category of its own as being something very much like theological fiction."

Boice Expositional Commentary - An Expositional Commentary – John, Volume 1: The Coming of the Light (John 1-4).

There may be many differences and interesting additions or omissions compared to the other gospels, but none of these differences contradict Matthew, Mark or Luke. In fact it supplements and enhances them giving us a fuller, richer picture of who Jesus was, and what He did.

After many years of careful study, modern archeological discoveries, and renewed interest to defend the authenticity of John's Gospel I am happy to report that according to Boice, " There has been a remarkable change in the scholarly climate surrounding John's Gospel, with the result that it is becoming increasingly inadequate to deny the Gospel was indeed written by John the Beloved. A new claim is even being made for the reliability of the Gospel as history. Moreover, this claim has come about, not because the scholarly world itself is becoming more conservative but because the evidence for the reliability of John has simply overshadowed the most destructive of the academic theories. Thus today men of such academic stature as Oscar Cullmann of the University of Basel, Switzerland, and John A. T. Robinson of England argue that the Gospel may well embody the testimony of a genuine eyewitness, as it claims. And some, like the late Near Eastern archaeologist William F. Albright, are willing to date the book in the A.D. 60s, that is, within thirty or forty years of Christ's death and resurrection."

This is of remarkable significance to us today, If John had been written 150 or 200 years after Jesus died, there could not be any eye witnesses, there could be no one who had "handled" or "witnessed" first hand all the events found there. But God has a way of defending His Word, and truly not one Jot or Tittle will pass away from God's word or Law. As the date for it's writing is closer to thirty or forty years of Christ's death and resurrection, it is safe to go back to the belief the early church father's and other early Christians believed that John the beloved wrote this precious book.

As J. Vernon Mcgee would begin every new book in his Bible Study with some statement about that book being the greatest book in the Bible, I feel that I too can say that - John is the greatest

Many scholars and ministers have had a special spot for this great book. It has been called by some "God's love letter to the world." Luther said, "This is the unique, tender, genuine chief Gospel" He went on to say, "Should a tyrant succeed in destroying the Holy Scriptures and only a single copy of the Epistle to the Romans and the Gospel according to John escape him, Christianity would be saved."

John covers many themes as I mentioned before, but the main purpose and goal in writing another Gospel is as he writes in his own words, "John 20:31 (KJV) 31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. "

John does this by introducing many key themes throughout this gospel, but you will find him in every chapter, almost every verse showing and trying to prove who Christ is. Sprinkled throughout are seven precise incidents shared that John is intentionally attempting to prove Jesus as the Messiah. During this study I want to delve into each of these Signs of the Savior

THE SEVEN SIGNS IN JOHN SIGN REFERENCE CENTRAL TRUTH 1. Changing water to wine - John 2:1-11 Points to Jesus as the Source of all the blessings of God's future (see Isa 25:6-8; Jer 31:11-12; Amos 9:13-14) 2. Healing the official's son 4:43-54 Points to Jesus as the Giver of life 3. Healing the invalid at Bethesda 5:1-15 Points to Jesus as the Father's Coworker 4. Feeding the five thousand 6:1-15, 25-69 Points to Jesus as the life-giving Bread from heaven 5. Walking on water 6:16-21 Points to Jesus as the divine I AM 6. Healing the man born blind 9:1-41 Points to Jesus as the Giver of spiritual sight 7. Raising Lazarus 11:1-44 Points to Jesus as the Resurrection and the Life

Holman Book of Biblical Charts, Maps, and Reconstructions.