I wrote down some thoughts as I read through the Gospel of John that I thought I’d share with you. These are just my observations. They may very well be riddled with theological and interpretive errors. I haven’t done any sort of due diligence in checking any of this. If you think I’m off on something, please let me know. I’d like to learn more.

One other note, you’ll notice that the comments stop at chapter twelve. This is because I took fewer notes on the last nine chapters and because WordPress was kind enough to lose the notes I did take.

• Day 1 (1:19-28)
  • John the Baptist (JtB) is at Bethany
  • The Pharisees ask JtB if he is the Christ
  • JtB prophesies about Jesus
• Day 2 (1:29-34)
  • Jesus comes to JtB and is baptized
• Day 3 (1:35-42)
  • Andrew, one of JtB’s disciples, follows Jesus
  • Jesus names Simon, Andrew’s brother, Peter
• Day 4
  • Jesus calls Phillip
  • Phillip brings Nathanael to Jesus
• The Third Day (2:1-2:11/12)
  • Must mean the third day of the week, not chronological to the other 4 days

Spirit

• 1:33 – Baptized with the Holy Spirit
• 3:5 – Born of the Spirit
• 4:23-24 – Worship in spirit and in truth
• 6:63 – The Spirit gives life
• 8:39 – Living water is the Spirit

3 – Jesus teaches Nicodemus about Himself (perhaps a bit cryptically), and then JtB gives testimony about Jesus. – 5:31 – Jesus goes over testimonies about Himself.

3:18 – Anti-Inclusivism?

3:22-31 – JtB’s Humility

3:36 – Semi-Inclusivism?

4:27 – It’s interesting that no one asked.

4:46 – Cana again, I wonder if there was something special about Cana to Jesus.

5:28-29 – Semi-Inclusivism?

It’s beginning to seem that the Gospel of John is an apologetic of sorts for who Jesus is. It starts with “In the beginning was the Word…,” focuses a lot on John the Baptist (who testified about Jesus), and by the fifth chapter, Jesus has already explained who he is at least three times (Nicodemus in ch. 3, the Samaritan woman in ch. 4 & the Jews [Pharisees?] in ch. 5). Of course, there are miracles interspersed that seem to argue for Jesus’ divinity as well. And again in ch. 6 Jesus explains who He is. (I’m going to stop mentioning it every time He does this.)

Recurring theme: Jesus was sent by God (the Father).

Recurring theme: Food – Jesus as the bread of life, drinking living water

8:31 – It seems odd that Jesus goes on to criticize the Jews who apparently believed Him.

8:53 – Oh irony!

9 – This interplay of miracles and Jesus’ claim to be the Son of God continues.

10 – This is the first parable, and again, it is Jesus explaining who He is.

10:38 – Jesus says that the miracles prove who He is.

11 – Lazarus dies

11:16 – I love this verse. Jesus’ disciples have just warned him not to go to Judea because the Jews want to kill him, and what does Doubting Thomas’ say to the rest of the disciples after Jesus says they should go anyway? “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” Maybe we should call “Doubting Thomas” “Courageous Thomas” instead!

12:10 – The chief priests were going to kill Lazarus too. These were some pretty messed up dudes.