 |  |
The Gospel of JOHN.
#1.
An Introduction to the Gospel.
A Question of View-Point.
pp. 5 - 8
While it is true that "all spiritual blessings in heavenly places" are "far above all", it is
essential that we should remind ourselves continually of the basis upon which all these
blessings rest, namely, the finished work of the Son of God, accomplished in the fullness
of time upon the earth. The epistles of the N.T. abound in references to this finished
work, but it is essential that those inspired records which we call the Gospels, should be
read, studied and understood if that work is to become a reality to us.
Three things must be kept in mind when we think of the Gospels and their purpose.
(1)
The historic facts which they record are basic. The birth, death, resurrection and
ascension of the Lord are fundamental to doctrinal and practical truth.
"If Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain"
(I Cor. 15: 14).
(2)
While the Gospels are, in a sense, complete in themselves, the Lord told His
disciples that there was still further truth to be revealed to them when the Spirit of
Truth had come.
"I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now"
(John 16: 12).
(3)
There is a Divine purpose in the fact that the earthly life or our Lord is recorded
from four different aspects. The only One Who could have inspired a single
complete account of that life and ministry has not done so, but has been pleased to
inspire four different writers to write individual and selective accounts from four
different points of view.
MATTHEW.--The point of view of this writer is that of the Kingdom, and his
readers are Jews and Jewish believers. He begins with Abraham.
MARK.--This Gospel follows the same line as the Gospel of Matthew, but is
shorter and omits some subject-matter that would not appeal to the
Gentile proselytes, for whom the account was primarily intended.
LUKE.--Luke writes for the Gentiles evangelized by Paul. He goes back to Adam.
JOHN.--John's point of view is to be discovered. All we will say at the
moment is that in John 20: 31 the Apostle has plainly indicated the
great object he had in mind in writing his account of the ministry of
Christ.
Every teacher, whether inspired or not, if he is to be successful in his work, must
establish contact with his hearers, and then proceed from the known and accepted to the
unknown. Matthew, for instance, is traversing ground which would be very familiar to
his hearers when he traces the genealogy of our Lord back to Abraham. Every name in