A Fisherman’s Story: A Study in the Gospel of John

"The Beginning of the Fisherman's Story" John 1:1-18   Introduction   In the previous study, we presented "The Beginning of the Fisherman's Story."  A summary outline of John 1:1-18 follows:   I.  The Word  Is the Subject of the Story, John 1:1-5. II.  The Word Was First Witnessed to by John the Baptizer, John 1:6-8. III.  The Word Was Not Recognized  for the Light He Was and What He Offered, John 1:9-13. IV.  The Word Was God Dwelling with Humans for a Season, John 1:14-15 V.  The Word Is a Source of Constant Blessing to Those Who Believe,  John 1:16-18   Between John 1:19-John 12:50 are narratives which provide eye-witness accounts of some of Jesus' acts, sermons, conversations, interactions, and miracles.  These John used to support his presentation of Jesus as the Way to God, as the Truth about God, and the One Who is Life and gives eternal life to all those who believe in Him.  This represents the next major section of the Gospel of John which is . . .   The Telling of the Fisherman's Story John 1:19-12:50   We have begun by observing that . . .   I.  The Story Is an Unveiling of  the Redemptive Promise of God, 1:19-4:54.   A.  John the Baptist, the Presenter of the Promise, 1:19-34. B.  The First Disciples, Attracted to the Promise, John 1:35-51 C.  The First Proof of the Promise's Power and Person:  The Miracle at Cana, John 2:1-11.   Let us continue, then, with the "Telling of the Fisherman's Story" . . .   D. The Capernaum Interlude, 2:12 (Mention of Jesus' brothers)   (John 2:12 NIV)  After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother and brothers and his disciples. There they stayed for a few days.   Those who believe in the perpetual virginity of Jesus will seek to interpret "brothers" as something other than natural siblings from the same mother.  Two popular views have been that these were either cousins or stepchildren.  Two words are translated "cousin" in the Greek New Testament I (anepsios, such as in Colossian 4:10 where Mark and Barnabas are said to be cousins, and suggenes, where Elizabeth and Mary, the mother of Jesus, are said to be cousins. In the latter case it is more accurately translated "relative" which may include cousins but also other familial relationships.  See Luke 2:44; 14:12.  The word translated "brothers" in John 2:12 is the normal word for brother in Greek, adelphoi.  Whether they were following Jesus because they believed in Him is not conclusive since all of Jesus' family may have been invited to the wedding and He was returning to Capernaum where He was known to have taken up residence after His temptation in the wilderness.  See Mat 4:13.   E. The First Cleansing of the Temple, 2:13-22 (The Zeal of Jesus for His Father's House)   1.  What Jesus saw in His Father's House, John 2:13-14.   (John 2:13-22 NIV)  When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. {14} In the temple courts he found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money.   2.  How Jesus responded to the disgraceful use of His Father's House, John 2:15-16.   (John 2:15-16 NIV)  So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. {16} To those who sold doves he said, "Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father's house into a market!"   3.  How His disciples later connected the event to prophetic scripture, John 2:17.   (John 2:17 NIV)  His disciples remembered that it is written: "Zeal for your house will consume me."   4.  The sign which would later prove Jesus' right to defend His Father's House,   (John 2:18-22 NIV)  Then the Jews demanded of him, "What miraculous sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?" {19} Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days." {20} The Jews replied, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?" {21} But the temple he had spoken of was his body. {22} After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.   F.  The First Presentation of the Gospel Message to a Seeker, John 2:23-3:21.   1.  There is a faith that believes in Jesus as a man sent from God—this is faith that is superficial.   (John 2:23-25 NIV)  Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many people saw the miraculous signs he was doing and believed in his name.  {24} But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all men. {25} He did not need man's testimony about man, for he knew what was in a man.   2.  There is a faith that senses that Jesus is more than a messenger from God—this is faith that has been awakened to the Truth, John 3:1-2.   (John 3:1-2 NIV)  Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. {2} He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him."   3.  There is faith that gives new birth to the spirit of man into the kingdom of God—this is faith that brings eternal life, John 3:3-21.   a.  This new birth is required to see the kingdom of God, John 3:3.   (John 3:3 NIV)In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."   b.  This new birth is spiritual, not physical, John 3:4-8.   ((John 3:4-8 NIV) "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!" {5} Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.  {6} Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. {7} You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' {8} The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."   c.  This new birth should have been understood from Nicodemus' knowledge of the Old Testament Scriptures, John 3:9-10.   (John 3:9-10 NIV) "How can this be?" Nicodemus asked. {10} "You are Israel's teacher," said Jesus, "and do you not understand these things?   Perhaps Jesus had Ezekiel 36:25-28 in mind which foretells a day in Israel's future when the kingdom of God will be established on the earth and the the presence of God's Spirit will reside within them.  This will move them to obey from a soft rather than stony heart.  It will be a new birth.    (Ezek 36:25-28 NIV)  I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. {26} I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. {27} And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. {28} You will live in the land I gave your forefathers; you will be my people, and I will be your God.   d.  The truth related to this new birth presented with heavenly authority to which Jesus was essentially connected.     To receive this truth one must believe in Jesus' authority on heavenly matters as well as earthly.   (John 3:11-12 NIV)  I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. {12} I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?   e.  This new birth is the result God reaching out through His Son to save man from the condemnation of his sin, John 3:13-21.   1)  Jesus can talk of heaven because He came from heaven, John 3:13.   (John 3:13 NIV) No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven--the Son of Man.   2)  Jesus is the designated object of faith that leads to eternal life, John 3:14.   (John 3:14-15 NIV) Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, {15} that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.   3)  Jesus is God's gift to all in the world who would believe in Him and escape condemnation and the sentence of eternal death, John 3:16-18.   (John 3:16-18 NIV) "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. {17} For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. {18} Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.   f.  The guilty verdict upon humanity is justified because man's true affections are evident, John 3:19-20.   (John 3:19-20 NIV) This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. {20} Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.   g.  The lifting of the guilty verdict is accomplished in one way only—come to the Light, let God do His work, John 1:21.   (John 3:21 NIV) But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."   SCROLL DOWN FOR PREVIOUS STUDIES